


A Double Shot at Love

by Malefistache (Swan3ills)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Red Beauty - Fandom, swan queen - Fandom
Genre: Drunken Confessions, F/F, Magical Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-03-10 23:49:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3307769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swan3ills/pseuds/Malefistache
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina is brooding her loss of Robin when a sympathetic Emma comes to join her at the bar. A first shot leads to a second and before they know, they're sharing more than just a drink. And just as they find love together, so do Beauty and the Beast (Red Beauty). Twice the trouble is to ensue via Magical!Babies. Some crack, lots of fluff, a pinch of angst, and smut of course :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided to make this the cheesiest fanfic I ever wrote. Also very smutty- SMUFFY

* * *

 

After Emma not so delicately put back Killian's heart inside his chest, he moved his hand and hook to her back and pulled her close to him.He kissed her then, and suggested they got a room in Granny's Inn.

Emma smiled awkwardly at him and gently moved his arms to loosen his needy grip on her.

"I... I'm not ready yet. Give me a little time, Killian," she answered feebly, not very comfortable with the idea.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the corner of his lips to try and not make him too upset. "Be patient…"

"Haven't I been patient enough?" He grumbled.

"Look. There's just something I need to do first..." Emma averted her eyes.

"What is it this time?" He groaned. "I swear if it's the Evil Queen again-"

"She just lost someone important," responded Emma sharply, starting to lose her temper. 

"And I just got my heart back from theDark One, thank you very much for the concern."

"You're fine. And he's gone. Look, I'll see you tomorrow."

Emma started walking away.

 

"Swan!"

 

Emma waved a dismissive hand, her back to him, completely ignoring her boyfriend. She walked down the hallway of Granny's to come to where Regina was sitting alone at the bar, and took the seat next to her.

"I'm not in the mood for a hope speech, Emma." Regina huffed as she stirred her coffee again, pensively.

"You're confusing me for my mother. What you need is a drinking buddy. Shots?"

Regina looked incredulously at Emma, but she could really use a drink this moment.

"Sure. Why not."

"Two, please." The Sheriff asked the waitress at the opposite side of the bar and the young woman poured two tequila shots for them.

"Make mine double," Regina ordered and Emma's mouth gaped in surprise.

"That bad, huh?" The blonde said with sympathy. " Make mine, too," she asked the waitress.

Regina downed her drink from a big gulp and her eyes even teared a little. That was quite a strong drink and she wasn't really used to it.

"You okay?" Emma asked her after the Mayor coughed.

"I never liked tequila," Regina responded with a raspy voice.

"Ah… you're more of a hard cider woman, I recall," Emma smiled sympathetically.

"And you're more of a _Captain Morgan_  fan, am I right?" Regina said it with bitterness that didn't go unnoticed.

"Actually I'm more into vodka," Emma said to evade the negativity. She knew what Regina really meant and it wouldn't be wise to fuel that fire right now. 

But why did Regina despise Hook so much?

She had the idea it had something to do with his camaraderie with Cora, could also be because he let her be tortured by Greg and Tamara. Now that was more logical, but when they first arrived in Neverland to look for Henry, Emma could almost swear Regina had set her differences with the pirate apart for a moment _—_  they even seemed to be bonding, until that day she accusingly called him Emma's boyfriend.  _The hell that had even come from?_   In that moment she wasn't even interested in Hook yet.  _Interesting Regina had to point this out_ , but she better not think too much about it. Neverland was behind them, and now she was indeed Hook's girlfriend, as strange as that notion felt when she looked back at how they met.

Regina felt a little dizzy from her drink. It was unusual of her to drink such strong alcohol and from a gulp, nonetheless, but she tried to keep her regal composure and not show more weakness than what she had already allowed her  _drinking buddy_  to witness.

"I don't think you could hold a second round," Emma said tentatively.

Regina looked at her with a fiery gaze. "Are you challenging me, Miss Swan?"

"Ooooh, we're back to formalities, huh? Perhaps I am,  _Madam Mayor,_ " Emma smirked.

 _Quite smug she looks,_  Regina thought.

"Careful, Ms. Swan, when I play, I play to win."

"So do I,  _Regina,_ " Emma emphasized her name and it made the Mayor felt a curious shiver.

 _Was this what friends did in their nights out?_  Regina didn't really know because she'd never had a friend to live the experience, at least not in the modern world. And in the old, Maleficent was hardly _just_ a drinking buddy... Not that such details mattered right now, wherever that thought came from.

"Can I get you something else, Sheriff, Madam Mayor?" Marlene, the waitress, asked them.

"Anything good with Vodka," Regina responded before Emma. "Color me surprised."

Marlene couldn't believe her eyes. Everyone knew Emma and Regina were getting along better now, but to actually see them together chilling in the bar was a whole different sight— and she shipped it.

After serving their drinks, the waitress went inside the kitchen and texted Ruby, who had taken the night off, to share the strange novelty.

* * *

 

"DUDE, you're not gonna believe this!" Marlene sent her.

"What?" Ruby asked a minute later.

"The Mayor and the Sheriff are totally getting wasted together. HERE. I FUCKING CAN'T."

"Are you high or what? Stop inventing ships where there are none. It's getting serious, gurl." Ruby replied.

"NO. It's totally happening! Like, DAMN, I already shipped it, now I get to actually witness it!"

"Dude, you said the same about me and Belle, and you wanted to arrange our wedding after we shared a FUCKING TEA together. Like, chill. You have issues."

"I'm right this time, wereBITCH! BYE."

 _What the fuck?_ Ruby's brow furrowed. She put the cellphone back over the nightstand and turned the lamplight off.

 _Me and Belle…_ She remembered that afternoon, and still kept the book the auburn-haired lady had loaned her as a 'must read.'

"The Knight in Rusty Armor," Ruby read out loud. "I will return you tomorrow."

* * *

 

Regina lifted her drink and looked at Emma as she did the same, both women testing the other, but Emma finding this challenge more funny than serious.

"Ready?" Emma asked as she raised a cocky eyebrow.

"My dear, I was born ready to beat you," Regina let out a throaty laugh.

"Actually that was _me_. You know: Savior," Emma winked, a haughty smile in her lips.

"We shall see... We have yet to face each other in our  _final battle,_ " Regina said in a husky voice so undoubtedly the Evil Queen's, and with a hint hint of sensuality- or maybe Emma was imagining that. In any case, Regina decided she would not be losing to Emma Swan.

"Cheers," said Emma.

They both brought their glasses to their lips to drink from the special cocktail Marlene had procured for them, and boy wasit STRONG, like a kick in the face.

"Holy shit! How much did you put in it?" Emma uttered to the waitress as she walked by to check on them. They were the only customers left there.

"Didn't you…  _still_ … want double shots?" Marlene bit her lip, and her brow furrowed in guilt. This had so not been an accident, but she played fool.

"God, no. Not on this one," Emma exhaled deeply, her cheeks a warm pink.

"Giving up already?" Regina asked her, pointing at the half empty glass. "I thought your last name was Swan, not Puss—"

"Woah! Someone's had enough for a night," the Sheriff interrupted before the Mayor finished the line.

"I'm most *hiccup* perfectly *hiccup* fine."

"Sure… but I would still not risk any chances. As Sheriff, I can't allow you to drive in your state."

"As Mayor, I fire you."

"Well… you haven't been Mayor for a while, so..."

"Please. I've thirty years under my belt. And Queen."

"Okay…" Emma got up from her seat, and offered her hand to Regina. "Well, your _Majesty,_  I'm afraid I'll have to escort you back to the palace as your designated White Knight—royal guard or whatever." Emma blushed lightly at her own offer.

_Had she just unintentionally sound flirtatious?_

"My hero," Regina sneered at her, not even taking notice of the chivalry in her Sheriff, and how both women had been flirting for a while now without realizing, going from heated looks, to the way they clank their glasses and studied their lips before drinking.

 _These two idiots,_  Marlene was grinning behind the cashier as she readied their bill.

* * *

 

Emma paid for the drinks and helped Regina into the beetle to drive her home. Henry had gone with Mary Margaret and David after Rumplestiltskin was banished from Storybrooke, and the two mothers now traveled in direction of 108 on Mifflin Street.

"I'm really sorry about Robin," Emma said sympathetically after Regina began weeping quietly. The alcohol had made her a little more sensitive, a little more uninhibited— more open.

"He was my soulmate. Tinkerbell told me he was my second chance at happiness, but now… now I have none."

"Tinkerbell?" Emma's brow furrowed, she shook her head trying to find how that made sense.

"Yes. A long time ago, she stole some pixie dust to find me a soulmate."

" _That how she lost her wings…_ But how can pixie dust give you a soulmate? I mean, what about True Love and that stuff. I don't think it works like that, does it? I thought magic couldn't create love…" Emma's verbal diarrhea started. She needed to understand.

"It doesn't. Well, not like that… I… I don't know," Regina thought for a moment. "My head hurts so bad, Emma. Can't you speed up?" She rubbed her temples.

"Guess I could," Emma drove slightly faster and they soon made it to Regina's mansion.

The Sheriff opened the door for her and tried to helped her out of the lousy bug, but Regina was mildly offended.

"I'm not that drunk," she dismissed her and walked over to the porch, Emma coming behind her just to make sure.

"Why are there so many keys!" Regina whined as she failed to insert the right key in the door. But she was more emotional and upset than she was drunk.

"Let me help."

Emma took the keys from Regina's hands slowly. Their hands touched gently, sending a chill down her spine; it was almost like an electrical reaction to the very touch of Regina's hand, but Regina didn't seem have felt it. 

_Strange._

"Which of these is?" Emma asked.

"That one," Regina pointed at one of them, growing impatient.

She really wanted to get inside home and stop feeling this way. She had felt that sparkle of magic when their hands met briefly, but she didn't want to give it any attention. The sooner she was in her bed the better. Tomorrow she could pretend not to remember any of this; not remember Emma could make such good company, nor how she could let her walls down with her so easily. It was far too confusing and she was supposed to be grieving Robin, not feeling good to be around Emma alone, without anyone else in between them. With Henry it was different now, but the fact was: she felt safe and hopeful with Emma.

They got inside the manor and Regina walked to the foot of the stairs, stumbling a little.

"I shouldn't have drunk that so fast," she mumbled, having difficulty with walking up the steps that lead to her bedroom. She was a little dizzy, and felt a little hot suddenly. _Must be the shots._

"Mind if I offer a hand?" Emma asked gingerly, somewhat feeling nervous about the idea of accompanying Regina to her bedroom. "It was kinda my fault for making it into a contest, you know," Emma said sheepishly, licking her lips nervously.

Regina looked at her from over the shoulder, eyes dark and inviting. "Just a hand?" Welp! Perhaps more walls than she thought at first, were already falling.

 _What had just gotten to her?_  She didn't know, but both women pretended she didn't just say that.

"Ahem." Emma cleared her throat. "I suppose an arm is better."

Emma helped Regina balance out in more ways than just physically, like she doing was this moment, but neither woman was conscious of that, or maybe they were but would not admit.

Regina pushed the door to her bedroom open with magic and got a little dizzy again. Drinking and using magic was not a good mix.

"Careful with that," Emma held her from the waist and pulled her closer so she didn't trip with the big rug under the bed.

Regina turned to look at Emma with surprise. They had never been  _this_  close, and the blonde felt her heart beat so much faster than usual; it felt like a horse race inside her chest and her breathing became much deeper suddenly. They had only once been _almost_ this close before, that day in the mine. Regina had stepped closer and for a moment Emma thought they had made a connection; just like this moment, but it was gone soon as it come.

The thought crossed her mind again; maybe, just maybe, Regina had always liked her more than she pretended to hate her.

"Regina I…" Emma's words died out before she could gather the courage to say what she had been hiding in her heart for a long time.

How could she entertain such an idea,when it was clear Regina believed Robin Hood her only shot at love? And she (Emma) was now with Hook. It made no sense, but she had let it happen and now she was stuck between the person she _really_  wanted and the person who wanted _her,_  but she had no chance with Regina. She couldn't beat fate, could she? Could she be bigger than a soulmate? And Regina was drunk, vulnerable, and Emma couldn't be  _that person,_  she couldn't take advantage of this moment of weakness to make an even bigger mess of Regina's life in this night of shots and heart to hearts.

Emma's heart wasn't the only conflicted, as Regina's was beating as though it would burst out of her chest any moment.

Why had Emma Swan always made her feel everything with such intensity?Whether it had been hatred or joy, it was always a thousand times stronger if the feeling had been evoked by something this woman said or did. It was as if Emma had some unknown power on her, something that made her lose her mind but at the same time grounded her.

The words sounded like an echo in her head; words she had said to Snow White once long ago:  _True Love is magic._

_Could they both share such thing?_

They shared True Love through Henry, they knew that, but could it be, perhaps, that they also felt something for one another? Maybe Regina was much too confused, but now, with her walls down, she couldn't have seen clearer than this moment why she despised the pirate so much: it was because of _Emma._

_How could someone like him, gain her heart?_

He hadn't changed, he only pretended to, to woo Emma, and Regina couldn't understand why Emma was falling for his lies. Not when _she_  was truly changing for  _good,_  not to win someone's affection, but to really make up for the pain she caused others to suffer, and to deserve— to earn —her own happy ending hopefully one day.

She had been selfless but right now she felt  _selfish,_  for she wanted to take something from someone: she wanted Killian's happy ending for herself. She wanted Emma; Hook didn't deserve her. The revelation was brighter than daylight.

"Emma," Regina said the name in a sweet whisper. Emma looked deep into brown pools that mirrored her own longing.

Words weren't needed to describe what they felt for each other this moment; what they had felt for a long time, or what they would inevitably continue feeling tomorrow and the day after.

Delicate hands cupped the younger woman's face gently, and Emma waited, hopeful that she would be Regina's choice instead of some pixie-dust predestined bullshit. She wanted to believe. Regina brought their faces much closer, Emma felt her heart beat much more strongly inside her chest, and as the flutter of millions of butterflies inundated her stomach, she couldn't keep resisting her pull and cut the last distance keeping them apart, giving her that first kiss that would forever be burned into their memories and change their lives from this moment on.

And it felt magical.

There was no curse on sight to be broken, but this kiss felt like it had just shattered their misconception of what Love had to be, what it had to look like; how it couldn't be born between the two of them. But here they were, feeling more complete than they'd ever been, and it was the realest thing they'd ever felt for someone since their first loves.

It was unique. It was special. And it was just theirs.

 

 

 

 


	2. A New Story

Everything made sense all of a sudden. The curse, Storybrooke, Henry; he was the golden link in their story, but to think they would find a family _together_ was unthinkable. But now that they'd kiss, it felt like it was possible and the only thing that made sense: the only thing that felt natural for them.

The Dark Curse curse had been Rumplestiltskin’s tool to finding his son, but in the end it might indeed provide Regina with her happy ending. The Savior had destroyed the Evil Queen within her, leaving Regina Mills to be born anew from the ashes of hatred, no longer hungry for vengeance but for a love that would find its way to her, for the Savior that would protect her heart and help it find its way back to light by her side.

Emma’s hands caressed Regina’s back as the brunette returned her kiss with deep emotion, of a pain born out of her years of solitude and which had finally found solace in Emma’s embrace, in her kiss, in the touch of her body and her whole being. She could feel her soul vibrating with Emma’s as they held one another closely, intimately.

“Regina…” Emma said in between kisses. “Are you sure about this? About us?”

Regina parted from her lips and held her face gently in her hands, looking into jade eyes with a clouded sight. Emma looked back with mixed fear of rejection but hope for assurance.

“It couldn't be clearer, Emma,” Regina responded with a breaking voice, as tears streamed down the sides of her face. 

The smile Emma gave her was more beautiful than a sunrise in the desert, and Regina felt her heart melt inside her chest. Their love was reciprocate, it wasn’t one sided or an illusion created with fairy magic. It was complicated but it was oh so real.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since— I don’t even know when. I was so stupid and I–” Emma was sobbing, but Regina hushed her.

“Shhh…” The brunette pressed her lips on hers, kissing between painful, happy tears. "I love you, too."

Now that they were together, they couldn’t stop their love from manifesting. Like a storm that won't cease until it unleashes its full power, they kissed, touched, and felt each other without any reserve, and found themselves in that ample bed waiting for their love to come pouring like a rain of summer. 

Clothing was scattered all over the floor, disrupting the harmony of the usually impeccable bedroom of the mayor, and it was perfect, it was beautiful because it was messy, just like them and their love.

Regina groaned as she felt coming close the edge with Emma’s mouth pleasuring her in new ways she had only dreamt to feel with her. Her fingers tangled in tresses of blonde hair as her muscles contracted in uncontrollable ways, body covered in beads of sweat.

“Emma.”

 

She was moaning Emma's name, feeling she was on the verge of madness or pure enlightenment, but the blonde suddenly stopped when she was _so_ very close to driving her insane. Regina felt confused for a moment, but then blushed when Emma assumed a new position, straddling her left thigh, but then lift up her right leg and aligned her sex with hers.

"Together?"

Emma asked- as she had once requested with their magic, to do it together, become one and unleash their power, unleash their senses and enjoy this moment as though they both would become one in their love making, sharing the same powerful magic.

_Ecstasy. Bliss. Freedom._

That was what they felt when they reached climax together.

Emma moved to lay with her head over Regina’s heaving chest, inside her loving embrace, and for the first time in her life she didn’t want to run away. She wanted to stay. She wanted to share this bed for the rest of her days, if Regina allowed her.

“I will never let you go away again,” Regina said to her as she tucked a blonde curl behind her ear, and made a confession. “I knew from the moment I held that scroll, what the thing I loved most was... It was Henry, but it also was you. You’re my family, Emma, and the happy ending I don't want to give up ever again. Losing you, I can never suffer that pain again.”

“What about what Tinkerbell said?" Emma asked worriedly, the story of the 'man with the lion tattoo' echoing in the back of her mind, made her uneasy, insecure. "I don’t think I could compete with fate if it brought him back to you, if he's your True Love,” Emma looked into her eyes with sadness and fear. “Am I enough? Because you’re more than I could ever dream of.”

“Emma, _you_ are my happy ending and there’s nothing that can change that. I could never feel with him what I feel with you, I don't know what that fairy was talking about. What I have with you is more than I could ever get out of pixie dust.”

Regina kissed her deeply and they continued to kiss and caress each other until they fell asleep and the light of a new day filtered through the windows and bathed their bedroom with its warm tones.

 

* * *

 

It was by far the best sleep they'd had in years, until someone burst through the door and disrupted the peace of their slumber.

“MOM! Uh… Ma?” Henry shook his head to focus his sight.

_Was he looking at the right picture, or was he having a bad trip?_

“Henry!” Regina pulled the sheets to cover half of her face with it, not that anything had been exposed, but the sight of a second inhabitant in that bed would be a shock to him, and even more because it was a very familiar body, a _very_ familiar blonde.

“What? What happened?” Emma opened her eyes lazily, rubbed them, and then… “SHIT! KID! Couldn’t you knock or something? _Fuck!_ ”

“I was never here. I didn’t see anything,” Henry closed his eyes, turned around, hands covering his ears, and ran outside.

 _That was disturbing._ No kid—no HUMAN—should ever witness their parents’ intimacy. _EW._ He shivered.

After half an hour, both of his mothers shamefully came to join their son in the living room to talk about what had just happened, and ask his reason to burst into the room without calling first, which was something he never did, not unless he had had a nightmare, but that had stopped many years ago.

“I’m sorry you found out like that, Henry,” Regina started.

“It actually took us both as a surprise as well, kid…” Emma smiled nervously.

“I know. It’s fine. I should’ve knocked,” Henry evaded their eyes, but he kept fidgeting with a book he had in his hands.

“Why didn't you, anyway?” Regina asked with concern.

“Does it have something to do with your book?” Emma asked afterwards, noticing how he held on to it.

“Yeah, but it’s no news now I guess.”

He showed them the storybook. It was slightly different from his old one and his mothers noticed right away.

“Where did you find this?” Regina took the book in her hands. She opened it and the first chapter began with Regina giving Henry and Emma up, sending them away so they could have their best chance and avoid Pan's curse.

“Interesting… this wasn’t in the old book,” his brunette mother commented and Emma skipped through pages.

“Look,” Emma pointed at a picture. “That’s… us.”

There was an image with Emma and Regina standing before the entrance to the mansion. Emma was touching Regina’s hand and there was a spark of golden light glowing around their hands as they touched: the spark of True Love.

“I felt something when I touched you, when you gave me the keys to open the door, and that’s the same moment this new chapter begins with,” the Sheriff said.

Regina skipped the page, and saw one more: one flash back to the very first spark of True Love between them, when Emma touched her and they made the hat work. They were positively astonished, but when they looked for more, there was nothing but blank pages.

“This story is still writing itself,” Henry told them, “I found it in the big manor; the author’s house, mom.”

“Henry, you did it!”

“Yes, and I couldn’t wait to share it with you! That’s why I burst through your door...”

“What did I miss?” Emma looked like a clueless puppy at them.

“I… We were looking for the author. I was hoping he would write me a happier story,” Regina answered shyly.

“We called it operation Mongoose,” Henry said proudly.

“I like it, it has style. I’m in,” Emma squeezed her son's shoulder and smiled warmly at Regina.

“Well, you literally are now, mah,” Henry pointed at the page showing Emma and Regina touching hands.

“I think there may be no need to find the author anymore, Mom. This is our happy ending!" Henry beamed at Regina, and looked at Emma for assurance.  

"Regina, I made you a promise I intend to keep. I will give you your happy ending, I promise.” Emma smiled warmly. She took Regina’s hand gently and brought it to her lips to kiss it. "Want us to be a family?"

"Of course I do." Regina’s smile was warmer than the light of dawn and the three of them were happiest than they could ever imagine. 

 _Who would have thought this would be in the mind of the Author?_ But it was perfect, just like their little family.

Everything was perfect and beautiful, until a thought interrupted Regina's peace of mind.

“What day is today?” Regina looked at Emma with concern; Emma felt confused for a moment.

“Monday?” Emma answered “Why—crap!”

“It’s school day, Henry! You’re going to be late.” Regina ran to get to the car, but her car had remained in the parking lot near Granny's. Emma's would be.

“Seriously? I just made the greatest discovery! This isn’t fair.”

“Sorry, kid. Listen to your mom and fetch your backpack.” Emma raised an eyebrow.

“ _Which_ mom?” He grumbled.

“BOTH. Now get your butt in the car, we’re taking you to school because we missed the buss.”

* * *

 

They arrived in school a few minutes late, but they couldn’t deny the former mayor’s and the sheriff’s kid the entrance.

“Thank you very much, Mrs. McKenzie,” Regina said to the principal, just outside the door to his classroom.

“Have some money for lunch, Henry. Emma will pick you up when you’re out, honey,” Regina kissed him on the forehead.

“This is humiliating,” the poor boy wanted the earth to swallow him. _Why me?_ He was too old for their public displays of affection.

“We love you,” Regina said as she watched Emma give him a hug and pat him on the back.

They finally left and Henry was beyond mortified; his mothers would always see him as a little child, but he was no longer one, and he wished they could find someone else to bestow their love on and just give him a _diluted_ version of their adoration. Maybe a pet? Or why not each other? He just didn't want his classmates to tease him because he was somewhat of a spoiled kid.

Emma and Regina came back to the mansion. Regina was no longer mayor and didn't feel like going anywhere else this moment. She would later go pick up her car from the parking lot at Granny's, and Emma had to go to the station to work— not that she had any desire to do so, now that she was a love-struck puppy that finally got the bone, but she had a job.

“Will I see you around the station later?” The blonde asked innocently, her hand refusing to let go of Regina’s.

“I don’t know. I’m no longer the Mayor so I really have nothing to do there.”

“Well, maybe I could call in sick…” Emma made her puppy eyes.

“And trust your father to take care of the town? I don’t think so,” Regina let out a throaty laugh.

“Oh, come on. He does his best.”

“I know, but... it’s a mystery from where you got your wits, honestly, Emma.” Regina chuckled.

“Can’t really argue that…” Emma mumbled and Regina couldn’t help smiling. Even Emma admitted her parents weren't that bright.

She stepped closer and pressed her body against Emma’s, making a nice warm contrast in comparison to the cold metal of the VW bug behind the blonde’s back.

“Well, despite your parents, I love you,” Regina said before claiming rosy lips with crimson in a sensual kiss that, had Emma been male, she would surely have a ‘tent’ in her pants now.

“Mmm,” the brunette even moaned into the kiss, feeling how Emma's hands began to wander down her back, but had to stopped them before reaching down to grab her ass- it was too tempting.

“You little minx,” Emma groaned when Regina pulled away and smirked with satisfaction.

“It’s a shame you have to work…” Regina teased her even further.

“You really enjoy torturing me,” Emma glared at her.

“Old habits die hard,” Regina winked.

“You _really_ are an Evil Queen. I hadn’t seen it before, but I do now,” Emma stepped closer, and pulled her into her again, hands firm behind her in the small curve of her back.

“And what are you going to do, Savior? _Destroy_ me?” Regina said with sass.

“Exactly.” Emma leaned forward and spoke in her ear. “I will fuck you so hard tonight you will cry for mercy.”

“Oh really?” Regina asked challengingly, already feeling a tingling sensation between her legs. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea if Emma took a sick day.

“Really.”

With that promise, Emma turned around and walked with a cocky attitude back to the yellow car. Regina almost betrayed herself and asked her to come back, but she bit her lip and just watched the Sheriff leave the house.

“Mmm Ms. Swan...” she grinned contently. She was horny, but she would have to wait. Good things happened when you had patience.

 

* * *

 

_Patience, patience._

Regina felt anxious throughout the day. She cleaned every corner, every shelf, but the mansion was already spotless and she couldn’t find something to get her mind off the promised _punishment_ she would be getting later, and she kept replaying the event of their lovemaking in her head, as was Emma.

Emma couldn’t concentrate at the station. She hadn’t filled more than two files without making an error and having to start over. Regina occupied her mind more than ever, and the last thing she could think of this moment was…

“Killian… Hi. What are you doing here?” She got up from her desk and went to meet him in the hallway.

“Isn't it obvious, love? I wanted to see you,” he leaned forward and tried to kiss her, but she stopped him midway with her hand on his chest.

“We need to talk,” Emma told her and the look in his blue eyes was colder and more dangerous than a blizzard.

“Talk? Talk. Talk is all you want to do with me and I’m tired, Swan. What must a man do for you to give in? I think I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to and I’ve yet to get any crumbs for what I bargained for,” he demanded.

“This isn’t the place,” Emma walked to the door and went outside, him following behind her.

David observed them from the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t really intervene. They were both adults and as much as he wanted to punch the pirate right on his stupid face, he couldn’t just do it. Not without a reason.

“What you bargained for? Excuse me?” Emma was offended.

“My ship. Have you forgotten?”

“So you traded the Jolly Roger to get laid with me? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“What? No! I traded it for the bean that brought me here, to you, to save you. Give a man a little more credit.”

“You didn’t save me. You gave me a memory potion that made me remember the last years of sorrow; what Regina had replaced with memories I could never be thankful enough for.”

“But without them you couldn’t have come back to save your parents.”

“It was Regina who saved them! All of us. Again.”

“Regina. Regina. All I ever hear from you is that bloody bitch's name!”

“Well, get used to it because I love her!” Emma finally exploded.

Hook looked at Emma with sheer confusion.

 _How could anyone resist him?_ He was devilishly handsome, and had a line of women waiting for him to lay his eyes on them. But, no, he had to focus on the _one girl_ who had said no repeatedly, making it his _goal_ to conquer her, no matter what it took. He _would_ have Emma Swan, and he wouldn't be losing her to the Evil Queen.

“Well, she’s your step-grandmother. I assume you’d grow to like her. But what does that have to do with us? Why are we even arguing, love, if what we have is more special?”

“Oh my God, you don’t get it,” Emma was baffled.

Their quarrel had already gathered a few observers around them but Emma didn’t really pay attention to the people surrounding them, as she was both in awe and pissed at how dense and self-centered this man was. He was so shallow and selfish, he couldn't grasp on the fact she had just broken up with him.

“I do,” it was Mary Margaret’s voice the one to answer now.

She emerged from the crew, baby in stroller, as she had been walking from the town hall to here to cheer an upset baby that missed his daddy.

“Mom, I can explain.”

“It’s okay, Emma. You don’t have to.”

“Well, please do explain to me because you lost me.”

Snow walked closer to where the pirate stood and signaled Emma to remain silent.

“It is _you_ who lost Emma,” Mary said calmly.

“You’re going to stay away from our daughter,” David said after her. He had come out right after hearing their voices become much louder.

“What now? What did I do?” The pirate scratched his head with his hook.

“Besides comparing Emma’s value to that of your boat—” David said irritated.

“Ship. _Mate,_ ” Hook corrected, offended.

“Right… your  _ship._ You completely missed the point where my daughter just told you she’s in love with someone else.”

“She wants nothing with you,” Mary Margaret told him.

“Swan. Love. What are they talking about?” Hook used a sweetened tone of voice now, “I changed for you. You can’t do this to me.”

“No, you didn’t, and I owe you _nothing._ Please let’s just forget about this. I can’t be with you because I don’t love you,” Emma said more calmly now.

“Everyone, please, there’s nothing to see here. You can go back to your activities,” Snow ordered the crowd.

Some people had been recording the event with their cellphones. After coming back in the last curse, some of their gadgets had been “upgraded” to today’s standards, and the footage would soon become viral in the local social media.

“I will go, Swan, but I won’t give up. I know what we had was real, you’re just confused and need time to remember.”

“Seriously? Just go. Leave me the hell alone.” Emma brought a hand to her forehead. _Was he for real?_

Everybody left and Mary Margaret and David went to embrace their daughter. ”Are you alright?” They asked her, but she only nodded and swallowed her angry tears. It was very moving to have her parents looking out for her like this. It still was hard to believe she was no longer a lost girl who didn’t matter.

Regina was checking her inbox because she still received messages from people who preferred her as Mayor— hard to believe— but Snow wasn’t precisely capable of the task. She was going through her messages when an email from Henry alerted her about a video that had gone viral, and which everyone in school was sneaking to see in the lab.

Regina saw everything that went down outside the station and she was both touched about Emma’s love declaration, her rupture with Hook, and FURIOUS about that asshole not taking a 'no' for an answer. Enough was enough and she would make sure he did give up on his attempt to recover the love he lost, and which she gained, because one thing was sure: she would not be losing Emma.

Regina went to the mirror and looked for Hook in its reflection, finding him as he got drunk in a filthy tavern close to the docks.

 _Found you._ She grinned maliciously and disappeared in a purple puff of magic.

* * *

 

“Captain Hook, I would say I’m surprised to find you in a rat hole such as this, but… I’m not.”

“Cut the crap, bitch. What do you want?” He turned with difficulty to see her, his head was spinning.

“You’re going to stay away from Emma,” Regina ordered him with her queenly voice.

“Or what?” 

“Your heart may be safe from the _crocodile,_ but it isn’t safe from me,” Regina said dangerously as her palm came to rest over his chest, right where his heart began beating faster, like a scared mouse's.

“I don’t fear you, you bloody wench,” she spat.

“But your heart tells me a different story,” Regina chortled. “I will only repeat it one more time, pirate. Stay away from Emma. Stay away from us.”

If there was something Hook valued more than finally getting inside Emma's pants, was keeping his heart inside his chest. _Survival._ His life was more valuable than any dumb bitch that had dared reject him a last time, so he decided to make the right choice.

 _There’s plenty of fish in the sea._ Losing his life for just  _one_ wasn’t worth it.

* * *

 

Regina returned to the mansion.

The day had felt eternal without Emma, but she didn’t want to overwhelm her with her presence in the station, specially not after what had just happened. If Emma needed her, she would come if she called her. She remembered that when you held too hard onto someone, they eventually slipped through your fingers and left you. She didn’t know how to love very well, but she was learning. Henry had taught her.

(((Ring))) Her phone’s ringtone startled her, but it made her happy to see the ID of the caller.

“Emma!” Regina said a little too excitedly.

“God, I needed to hear your voice,” Emma said at the other end. “Miss me? Because I sure damn miss you.”

“You don’t have to,” Regina said with a big smile.

“Huh?” Emma got a little confused.

“Miss me. Look behind you,” the brunette responded, and in a puff of magic, she was now in the station with Emma.

But, surprise, so was Mary Margaret.

“Oh.” Regina muttered when she saw the pixie-haired lady with her baby boy in her arms, sitting on the couch close to the empty cells.

“Woah. I’ll never get used to that trick,” Emma said and Regina felt alarmed for a moment.

_Had she done wrong by just poofing here without being requested to?_

“At least you’re doing it to come to me, rather than to run from me,” Emma smiled brightly and Regina relaxed.

“I would kiss you, but your mother is looking at us,” Regina said in low voice as she came to take the seat at the front of the Sheriff’s desk in the tiny office.

“She knows,” Emma told her.

“As does the rest of Storybrooke, apparently…” Regina mumbled.

“What do you mean?” Emma narrowed her gaze.

“Henry sent me a message about a video that went viral at school, and it had everything about your quarrel with Hook and… and about us.”

“Oh my God, and you saw it? All of it?”

“Yes…”

“Shit. Should I start looking in the bottom of the sea for a one-handed corpse?”

“No. But thank you for the trust,” Regina got up for her seat, feeling offended.

“No, wait. Regina, I’m sorry,” Emma got up and caught her hand before the sorceress used her trick to poof away from her again. “Stay, please.”

Regina looked down at the hand holding hers and laced her fingers with Emma’s, and Emma felt the burden of her confrontation with Hook just fade into nothingness. Regina’s touch was enough to vanquish any darkness.

“I never thought I could love like this; like I love you,” the sheriff walked closer to the ex-mayor.

“Emma…” Regina smiled warmly.

Snow couldn’t really tear her eyes from looking at them, at their hands.

Regina’s smile and her eyes looked just like the way they did— no, even brighter —than when she had talked to her about her love for the stable boy. And now she could look away; she had nothing to worry about. What Regina felt for her daughter was true and Snow knew better than anyone that Regina would protect that love with everything she had in her. It was relieving. Emma had found someone who would fight against the world to protect her, and the aftermath of the first curse had come to quite an unexpected outcome, but one that was favorable for all of them. Nobody could deny their bond was real, so she accepted it. She was a firm believer of hope and love and she now believed in Regina's. Emma's, she had noticed since before the curse broke, but had tried to look away because back then it was insane. Now? Not even on the slightest.

“I want to kiss you so badly,” Emma told her as she gazed deeply into brown eyes.

“Oh, just kiss her already. Don’t stop because of me. It’s not like I cannot hear you,” Mary yelled from the couch.

"Oops?" Emma closed an eye, a big smile drawing in her lips.

“Well, seems like we have no choice,” Regina smiled back.

Emma pulled her into her arms and kissed her deeply.

David came into the station with Henry with him. After what had happened with Hook, Charming thought it was best to let Emma take a break, and him and Mary Margaret would look after Henry when he was out of school, so she could talk about her feelings with Regina. They didn't know they had already confessed their feelings, but now it was obvious they had already shared more than a love confession.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” Regina told them. “I wouldn’t like burdening you with extra work, seeing as you have your hands full with your own son. I know what it’s like to have a small child and a job on top of it.” She said it without meaning harm, but Snow and David were reminded they didn’t know what it was like to raise a child— at least not until now —and so was Emma, as she had also given her kid up. Some wounds took a little longer to heal.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” Regina apologized when she realized.

“It’s alright. We’re still learning and you’re right. It’s no easy task, and topped with being Mayor, I don’t know how you managed to do it all on your own, Regina.” Snow responded.

“It took time,” Regina sighed deeply.

“So… where am I staying?” Henry interrupted their moment.

“Home, kid. With us,” Emma responded and Regina looked at her with watery eyes.

To hear Emma call ‘home’ her house, touched her deeply. Her home was finally complete with Emma in it, the three of them, it couldn’t be but her biggest wish come true. Finally.

“Okay.” Henry smiled kindly and went to embrace both of them. “I love you, moms.”

 


	3. Knight in Rusty Armor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this fic I've chosen for my Belle to have brown eyes like in the animated version.

Ruby went to chat with Marlene when the break up video made it to her facebook profile. She was in shock because her friend had been right about this ship, it was almost unbelievable.  _Almost._

Everyone had thought in the beginning, before they believed in curses and saviors, that the blonde sheriff and the mayor had some sort of secret affair they didn’t want made public for Henry’s sake— similarly to how Regina and Graham were lovers.  _Their mayor certainly had a thing for her law enforcement;_  that had been a collective suspicion until the curse was broken and everyone stopped thinking that because it was outrageous.

_The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, in love with the Evil Queen?_

"Woah! And I didn't want to believe you," Ruby said to her.

"Yeah! I feel so proud of my babies," Marlene was smiling like an idiot, looking at the video for the hundredth time.

"Your babies? Dude, they’re older than us."

"I know. Well, not technically… but don't mind me! It's just my shipper heart, Rubes, it never fails."

"That's debatable."

"No, it is not."

"It is so."

"Rubes," Marlene squinted at her.

"Well…" Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Have you even seen Belle again?" Marlene narrowed her gaze on Ruby.

Ruby shrugged in defeat.

"You're no wolf, you're just a big  _pussy._ A big, fluffy pussy that needs someone special to rub her belly!" Marlene flexed her fingers.

"Don't you dare," Ruby shot her a glare. She HATED tickles.

"Talk to Belle, Ruby. She's been alone since she kicked Gold's ass out of town. Who knows, maybe—"

"Oh lord. Please stop," Ruby covered her ears.

"MAYBE you can be _friends_ again. Sheesh, you don't even let me talk, gurl."

"Ok. Sorry. I will… I will call her."

"That's all I wanted to hear. Now let's go back to work before the Alpha howls."

"Marlene Rodriguez, clean that goddam table! Ruby Lucas, why aren't you taking any orders? Move! I pay you to work, not to gossip, girls," Granny yelled from the service window.

"Shit. Too late."

Both servers went back to their business, and when it was time for a break, Ruby decided to drop by the library to return a book.

It surprised Belle to see her, it was unusual of the werewolf to come to this place, but it was a pleasant occurrence and the librarian came quickly from behind her little desk to greet her. But Ruby was nervous, she kicked herself mentally for having listened to Mar and didn't know how to make conversation with the beauty standing before her.

"The Knight in Rusty Armor," Belle recognized the book she carried in her hands. "I had almost forgotten I lent you it. Did you like it?"

"Uh… yes. It is… touching, and it helped me learn a lot more about myself." Ruby answered shyly, averting her eyes to evade the light brown gaze of the precious lady.

"Are you here to bring it back?" Belle asked kindly.

"Give back. Yes. It's been—what? Years? O.M.G. It actually has. I'm SO embarrassed."

"Aw, don't be. I have another copy. You may keep this one if you wish."

"Oh, I don't want to abuse your kindness."

"You don't. I wanted you to have it… It's a beautiful piece of literature from this world; a world more understanding of our defects, our strength, and deep wishes."

Ruby smiled at Belle as held the book against her chest. She decided to keep it and felt happy she had seen the other girl as a friend again, not just as her waitress at Granny's. It seemed like a good start— not that she was looking after _more._ Nope.

Ever since Belle had been reunited with the Dark One, the werewolf lost contact with her, and she didn't feel like they had anything in common to begin with. Belle was a  _bookworm_ ; a very intelligent woman that enjoyed most spending her time in the library, while Ruby was just a waitress who didn't really like reading, and didn't consider herself someone  _bright._ But she was very empathic, and she was good listening; she had quite a good ear (no pun intended).

But she was more into fashion, clubbing, and flirting with whoever caught her eye that day— _quite shallow_ , now that she thought about it. She felt she wanted to grow up; that wasn’t her _true_ self, just her old persona from the curse. The curse had provided her with the friends she couldn’t have in the Enchanted Forest because everyone feared her for her nature. Everyone had feared the Wolf.

"Will you visit us more often? Belle interrupted her thoughts.

"Us?" Ruby shook her head in confusion.

"Me. The books. The library. It just… it gets lonely here. People prefer Internet nowadays," Belle said shyly.

"Sure," Ruby smiled widely, and didn't notice the deep blush her cheeks had this moment.

"Great! I'll see you around then." Belle flashed a bright smile, and watched the brunette leave as her little break would be over soon.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Back in the Swan Mills manor, the family of three had just finished having dinner and they were now cleaning the table and doing the dishes together. It was such a simple, mundane chore, but it felt wonderful to be doing it together. Their lives had been the hardest in the last years, and doing something as normal as cleaning a dish, felt like an impossibly special thing.

Regina washed the fine china, Emma dried it with care, and Henry would put everything in its respective place and teach his blonde mother along the way. She was new to this house but she would soon find her way around the kitchen to help more. Maybe even cook.

After playing some video games with Henry, Emma tucked him in and finally made it to the bedroom where Regina was already in her elegant nightgown, reading peacefully in bed, and seemed really enthralled by the novel in her hands.

"Hey…" the blonde called tentatively at her lady.

"Hey," the brunette responded.

Regina closed the book and put it on the nightstand beside her, and lowered her reading glasses on her nose to look at a somewhat confused Emma.

"So…" the blonde looked around the room as if she'd lost something.

"So?" Regina squinted at her.

"Well…" Emma continued looking around her.

"Are monosyllables all you plan to use to communicate tonight, dear, because that will be one long and unappealing conversation for me, Emma. I would much rather continue reading the Mockingjay." Regina lowered her book and looked at her curiously.

Henry had given her those books and told her that he’s also loved the film adaptation they'd gotten to watch while in their stay in New York.

"Sorry." Emma's brow furrowed.

"You're still not saying much, my dear," Regina picked her book again and opened it in the page she'd left it.

" _President Snow_ —that's hilarious," Regina chuckled.

"Right…" Emma rolled her eyes.

Regina observed as Emma went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, splashed some water to her face, and finally got into the grey silk pajamas Regina had left for her to wear; then came back to the room and sat on bed with somewhat of a bad mood.

"Will you tell me what’s bothering you, or must I guess?" Regina put the book and her glasses away, and turned to the side to look at Emma.

"Well…"

"And please use more than just one word."

"Forget it, Regina, it's nothing."

"Hmm. I’m certain it’s not _‘nothing,’_ but if you don't feel you can share whatever is troubling you with me, I will respect that."

Regina went to kiss Emma on the cheek, turned to her side of bed and closed her eyes to sleep.

"Please turn the lights off for me, dear."

Emma reluctantly obeyed and got under the sheets as well, but it wasn't easy to fall asleep.

Half an hour had gone by when Regina couldn't stand it anymore.

"I know you're awake and it's preventing me from sleep, too. Just tell me what it is, Emma."

"Ugh… well… I… I wanted to be with you," the blonde finally confessed.

"We're together, my love. I don't see— oh," Regina understood what Emma wanted to do.

"You looked so involved in that novel, I didn't want to disturb you."

"Emma, come here, you idiot," Regina pulled her into her arms and kissed her face sweetly.

"Being with you will always be better than any book, but I thought you would be drained after everything that happened today."

"Yes… and I am, but… but I promised you I would… You know," Emma blushed.

"Fuck me hard until I cried for mercy, I recall," Regina chortled.

"Yeah… Well, I just want to love you," Emma said innocently.

"Oh, my sweet Emma."

Regina kissed rosy lips softly as her hands stroked soft blonde curls, and the brunette moved to straddle Emma's stomach.

"Ah-ah," she prevented the blonde from trying to change places with her. "Let me be the one to love you tonight."

Regina knew how emotionally and physically draining this day had been for Emma, and what she needed this moment was assurance and the warmth only a true lover could provide her. And she would.

Regina started kissing her neck tenderly, brushing soft lips over warm skin before placing humid kisses all down to her collarbone. She could feel Emma's temperature rising as she slowly unbuttoned her pajamas, and once the top was off, the brunette cupped supple breasts in her hands to fondle. She brought her mouth to one of her soft peaks and felt it harden in her lips, and pulled it with her teeth lightly, but firm enough to cause Emma to start moaning.

Emma's chest heaved, her breathing more labored, and beads of perspiration soon began appearing all over her body. Regina moved to the other breast needing her attention and suckled on her nipple, while her naked thigh made pressure against Emma's growingly humid center, feeling the silken fabric of her sleeping trousers become wet as the friction continued.

She continued advancing on Emma's torso, slowly trailing her tongue down Emma's abdomen; she placed a kiss right below her navel, and looked up at her.

"They need to go," Regina announced as her fingers teased the waistband of Emma's pajamas.

"Mhm…" the blonde moaned, and bit her lip when she felt Regina pull on the strings of her pants to untie the knot.

"Lift," the former mayor ordered, and Emma blushed deeply as she lifted her hips so Regina could pull out her sleeping trousers, leaving her completely naked.

Regina placed a kiss on her right knee and slowly made a trail of sloppy kisses up her inner thigh, getting with each of them closer to Emma's core.

"I love you."

She said before indulging in the nectar of Emma's arousal, lapping and tasting each drop she offered.

"My luscious Swan."

Regina continued praising her beloved, savoring her body and bringing with each stroke of her tongue, Emma closer to orgasm.  _MMMM_ , the brunette hummed while she had her little pearl trapped in her mouth, and two fingers slowly ventured inside Emma, moving inside her to bring even more pleasure than she already had.

She was very close to climax and Regina continued pushing, twisting, and pulling her fingers back and forth, as her tongue circled the pink swollen bud, stimulating her beautiful clitoris.

"Come for me, my love." Regina encouraged a coy Emma, and Emma let her pleasure come crashing like a wave through her body; a deep groan assuring Regina of her success.

"Wow. That was…" Emma tried to catch her breath. "Amazing."

" _You_ are amazing," Regina told her, and moved to hold Emma in her secure embrace.

They canoodled for a while until their bodies fully relaxed and eventually fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

The weeks that followed were much calmer for everyone, but every morning carried the same struggle for Emma: she found it  _impossible_  to part from Regina's side to go to the station. It was like teenage love when you can't get enough of the other person, when you even fear to blink because it means a fraction of a second of not seeing them. But life had to carry on, and Emma would have to satiate her hunger with a big smooch, or with some  _morning love—_ if the time allowed.

They were so deep in love they looked stupid. Doe eyes, yearning looks, long, deep sighs- When would they end? Well, apparently this day.

When Regina came out of the bath, she suddenly felt the floor moving, and went to sit down on the toilet to stabilize.

 _That was very strange,_  but she thought she had moved too fast and that was what caused her dizziness.

Emma was in the station when nausea sent her running to the restroom, turning her bowel in the toilet and feeling very tired. Her father asked her if she was all right and Emma told him ‘ _it must have been that burrito’_  she had for breakfast.

Regina had asked her to cut on the junk food, but Emma couldn't go a second week without having her once "usual" breakfast at Granny's, so she blamed it on the change of diet. She needed her _crap_ because her stomach was a trashcan— so to speak.

More days passed and it was this time Regina who had to run before her bowel betrayed her and made of her expensive carpet a thing to send right to the garbage.

 _Upset stomach and morning sickness,_  Regina couldn't find the source to this  _evil_. Or maybe…

_No. Please no._

Regina went to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test, but tried it behind Emma's back, and the result came out: Positive _._

_No! How? Why?_

Regina was overwhelmed with her feelings. This child could only be…

"Robin's."

But that would mean  _he_  was her  _True Love_ , and he was gone. Why was fate such a jerk with her? How would Emma take it? Would she be accepting or…

"No. I won't give you up."

She placed a hand over her still small belly and cried for hours in her bedroom. When Emma arrived home with Henry, she heard the echo of Regina's sobbing, and ran upstairs as fast as she could to find Regina sleeping in bed, but crying from probably a nightmare.

"Regina. Regina. Wake up, please. Everything’s okay. I'm here, love," she gently shook her shoulder. "It's just a bad dream."

Regina opened her eyes slowly but seeing Emma's face of worry only made her feel even more miserable. 

 _How could she tell Emma she wasn't her True Love?_  How could she tell her she was expecting someone else's child? _How could she—_

"Please talk to me," Emma hugged her.

"I can't!" Regina pushed her away.

"What happened?" Emma grew even more worried.

"This is what happened!" Regina showed her the pregnancy test and braced a pillow to continue sobbing.

Emma's eyes opened wide, and she felt her blood sink to her feet with the revelation.

"Well, Robin is one lucky bastard," Emma muttered. "Do you want me to find him? Let him know so you both make a decision?"

"Emma…" Regina turned to look at her with horror. "There's nothing for him to decide: I am keeping this baby."

"God, no, Regina. I didn't mean that."

"Then what did you mean?" Regina was defensive.

"If you would prefer to raise this child with him. Or with me."

"You would accept this child?" Regina felt hopeful again.

"Regina, I accept any child  _you_ may give me."

Emma smiled warmly and Regina sought her embrace to feel protected. True Love or not, this was the person she wanted to share her life with, with whom she wanted to raise her second child and live happily ever after.

A while back, Emma had asked Regina why she'd never had children of her own, and she explained to her that she'd only wanted to have a family with Daniel.

The day she was forced to marry the King, she stole a potion from Cora's vault of sorcery and claimed: "Any children that I may have, shall only be from my one True Love," and that was how she cursed herself so she would never give Leopold, or anyone else, the children that belonged to Daniel, whom she believed had been her True Love. She never thought she would find that again.

It hurt to know this anecdote, not only because it spoke about a dark chapter in Regina's story, but also because 'biology' said the  _seed of life_  could only come from a man, and Emma wished with all her heart it could be _hers_  instead, because the saddest truth about this was Regina's True Love was Robin: Tinkerbell had been right all along.

Emma became depressed at the notion, but she hid it as best as she could for the next couple of weeks so she wouldn't burden Regina in her condition. Her own health continued to fluctuate, but she kept blaming that  _stupid_  diet Regina suggested her to follow.

"Again?" David asked his daughter as she came back from the restroom wiping her mouth with a piece of paper.

"Ugh… That green diet Regina has me on. I think it's making me detox from all the crap I've been eating since forever, and, still, I remain bloated," she rubbed at her slightly swollen stomach. “See?”

David didn’t think she looked puffy, and shook his head in negative.

“So that's how she keeps her nice shape…" He mumbled. "Those diets don't work for everyone, Emma, maybe you should quit it."

"Yeah… Wait, what?" Emma narrowed her gaze on her father. "Have you been _ogling_ my woman?"

"What? No! It's just… obvious she takes care of herself."

"Oh my God. You just lied to me. In my own face."

"Hey! Don't use your super power on your father, young lady. That's disrespectful."

The poor soul wanted to bury his head in the ground, but it wasn't possible, so he had to do what any man would: deny everything or turn the table.

"It was only once and she was the one who came at me."

Emma looked at him again and saw he was telling a truth. Her mood swings were bad lately and today was just not the day to hear about how her sexy girlfriend had once tried to seduce her father, and yet she absolutely needed to know.

"Details," Emma demanded.

"We were cursed!" David said desperately.

"Hmm… Where have I heard that before? OH, NO."

Emma remembered her own mother saying the same thing to explain why she'd had a one-night stand with Dr. Whale before the curse broke.

"You and my— UGH —I think I'm going to throw up again."

"No. Emma. We didn't do anything. She tried to use her  _lady charms_  to prevent me from looking for Mary Margaret, but I resisted, I swear."

Emma crumbled on the floor and cried like a hapless child, and only made David feel even worse than he already did.  _Some father he was._  He should've accepted he found Regina attractive, because who wouldn't?

He came to her side and tried to hug her, but she yelled at him.

"Leave me alone!"

"Emma, I'm sorry… But it's the truth. And we didn't—"

"I don't wanna hear more about it."

"Sweetheart…"

"Stop. I know she's beautiful, and I'm a fool to believe I will be good enough for her. She likes men more, I think that's obvious. I've no fucking idea why she's with me, especially now that she's expecting Robin's baby. Her  _darned_  True Love's child!"

"Regina's pregnant?" David came to sit beside his daughter. "I'm sorry, Emma. I had no idea you were going through this on your own."

"Yes…" Emma wiped her tears and looked at her father again.

"But she's with you for a reason, Emma. She loves you."

"Or just because she can’t have Robin Hood,” Emma said bitterly.

“I do think she loves you, sweetheart,” David tried to soothe her.

“Maybe, yes… But her  _“true love”_ is him, dad," Emma's voice sounded so small and hurt.

“What makes you so sure?”

"Long story short; she drank something to make her infertile, and that curse would only break when she was reunited with her True Love, resulting in the creation of life together; of a child born out of their light magic."

"Oh… I'm familiarized with that type of curse. I'm really sorry, Emma. If there's anything I can do for y—"

(((Ring))) The ringing of the emergency line startled them.

David took the call and it was about a robbery. One of the merry men from the forest had stolen a rifle for hunting and the shop owner wanted to shoot him, but decided to leave justice to their police. They were no longer in the medieval world and there would be consequences for both of them.

"On my way," David told Larry, the shop owner.

"I'm coming, too. I have a sudden urge to punch someone in the face," Emma told him and David nodded.

_That was more like the Emma he knew._

 

* * *

 

They searched the woods for the alleged thief, but when Emma went running behind him, she suddenly blacked out and the next thing she knew was she was in a room in the hospital and Regina was sitting on the couch for visitors.

"What happened?" Emma asked as she rose to a sitting position. Regina quickly went to her side.

"Be careful, Emma. You took quite a fall, but so far is just the bruising on your face and arms. We're waiting for Dr. Whale to tell us if there's anything else."

Not a minute had passed when the doctor emerged through the door.

"Glad to see you've awoken, Emma," Dr. Whale said as he came to their side.

"Is there anything we should worry about, doctor?" Regina quickly asked him.

"Yes, but it might be in the interest of the patient to discuss the results in private and then deci—"

"Just tell us," Emma ordered him.

"Very well. Ms. Swan, you are with child, and you have a low hemoglobin count, which isn't so uncommon in pregnant women. You absorbed most of the impact from the fall with your forearms and the product didn't receive any harm, but you need to supplement your diet, as you present a mild case of anemia."

Emma and Regina were baffled. They looked at each other and then at the doctor without speaking a word.

"I will prescribe you pre-natal vitamins. Pregnant women who are anemic have an increased risk for problems when their baby is born, particularly if they are anemic in the first trimester. If you have any questions or present severe morning sickness that causes frequent vomiting, you may call me. My line is always open. But if you come to have abdominal pain or present spotting, you come right away. Questions?"

Emma and Regina were still dumbfounded. A nurse in the speaker then called Dr. Whale to the operating room and he had to excuse himself.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have surgery to attend. Nurse Michael will come and give you your prescription." 

 

* * *

 

When they got back home, they both remained silent, as had been on the drive here. It made no sense to Emma and her head was still hurting from the fall to put too much thought into it. She didn't want to talk at all and just went to lay on the couch in the living room.

Regina didn't know how to react to the news. Emma had accepted her child, but she didn't feel she could accept Hook's  _spawn._  Was she monstrous for feeling this way? Perhaps. But she couldn't do much about it. She was incredibly disappointed in Emma and wanted to rip Killian's balls off.

Regina's pregnancy was the result of True Love, but Emma's? That was a stupid accident you only made once in your life, not twice. And definitely _not_ at this age.

"Here are your vitamins, and I made you some chicken soup," Regina said with indifference and it hurt Emma.

"Thank you," the blonde responded quietly.

"Make sure you stay hydrated, and let me know if you feel the lightest of cramps, or anything out of the ordinary."

"Regina…"

"Yes, dear?"

"Why are you so cold with me?"

"I just made you soup, how is that  _me_  being  _cold?_ "

"You know what I mean…" Emma rolled her eyes and it only did worse to Regina's mood.

"Because you are so incredibly immature! How could you make the same mistake twice? Some idiot you are," Regina exploded.

"Henry was no mistake. Well, he wasn't _planned…_ but you know what I'm trying to say."

"But with HIM? With _Hook?_ I can't believe you. Were you even considering a life with him? What kind of life would that have been? He had nothing to offer you!"

"I never slept with Hook!" Emma yelled angrily.

"Well, that makes it even better! God knows who you've been messing around with. Maybe you even give birth to a flying monkey!"

"Unlike you, Regina, I'm not sleazy," Emma spat. Though the idea of it being Walsh's child was a possibility for half a second, the timing didn't really line up.

"What?" Regina narrowed her eyes on her.

"Yes. You knew this Robin for what? A week? And fucked him only because he had a dumbass lion tattoo. Give me a fucking break! You're more gullible than my mother—OH—and speaking of my parents; you even tried to seduce my father before the curse broke. What the hell’s wrong with you?"

"I'm so not having this conversation now."

"Good, because I'm done with you!"

"What?" Regina felt her heart break in a million pieces. "What does that mean?"

"What you heard. And I'm leaving today. I'm leaving now."

"There you go, Miss Swan, always running away when things get real. Well, I have big news for you: relationships aren't always a walk in the park. Time to grow up."

"Why do you want me anyway? I'm not your stupid True Love. Go find your happy ending with that married man and continue collecting broken hearts, because you… you’ve just broken mine."

"Emma…" Regina tried to reach for her arm.

"Don't touch me!" Emma cried out. She knew if she allowed Regina to touch her, she would become weak and give in. She could allow that.

"Emma, please. Don't go. I'm sorry."

"This is torturous, Regina. We will only hurt each other and force our children to witness it. I can't do that."

"Moms," Henry interrupted them from the stairs.

He had been there for quite some time now, and had red, puffy eyes that showed just how much it damaged a child to see their parents fighting.

"You're bleeding. Both of you," Henry told them.

They had been so involved in their argument that they didn't notice what was happening to their bodies.

"No…"

Regina transported them with magic to the hospital and the emergency crew quickly received them. They ran some blood tests and checked in the ultrasound, but there were no signs of physical damage, only Emma's anemia, so they had to recur to a practice that was more invasive, to look for clearer answers.

After a couple of hours and having stabilized them, Dr. Whale came from his private lab to see them.

"Your pregnancies are quite interesting," The doctor told them.

"What do you mean?" Regina asked worriedly.

"We've had couples like you before try, but it’s very rare to have both women achieve successful inseminations that make them pregnant at the same time. I assume you two recurred to magic to make it happen?"

"What?" Emma was confused.

"Wasn't this… planned?" Dr. Whale looked at them curiously. "I see. Well, I guess it was a lucky shot then; a double shot, I would say, because you're both six weeks pregnant. And for the looks of it, you might be having  _twins."_  He raised an eyebrow as he scratched his head trying to make any sense of this absurdity.

 _What utter non-sense,_  doctors from outside of Storybrooke would tell him and take his license right away.

"And there's an  _extra_  chromosome in your products that we had only seen before once— twice —in our hospital. In your little brother, Emma, and in Henry. I would dare say it's the gene for magic, because now that we have both your samples of blood and of your amniotic fluid, we can almost be certain."

"But how does that make ours _twins_? This makes no sense," Emma asked.

"More importantly, how come you made an amniocentesis at this early stage?" Regina asked angrily, already feeling very suspicious of his practice.

"Big dangers call for drastic measures," Dr. Frankenstein deflected, "and this gene I found, it has a sparkle," he said excitedly. "I know. Sounds ridiculous. But this is magic we're talking about,” He turned to Emma.

“Your brother, Neal, had a pattern, and I've compared it to your blood sample, and while you both share some similarities—more than those you have with Henry's, there are also some differences. But in the case of your pregnancies,” he looked at both women now, “your products share the same exact pattern, and even _twinkle_ at the same time. They're like mirrors of one another— to put it some way," he was passionate about the subject. For the first time in decades, he actually felt he could enjoy this job again.

"Are you sure you didn't take the drugs that were meant to be given to us, Doc, because you're having a bad trip," Emma said to him.

"I'm not high, Emma. Magic is mysterious, but I will soon be able to decode it. I'm just a scientist making new discoveries," he said too solemnly.

"Okay…" Emma mumbled.

"Well, you better not have put our babies in a bigger risk, Viktor. We're not your lab mice, but you might become one if you dare again," Regina threatened him.

"I would  _never,_ " he evaded her eyes. "So... Congratulations to the both of you. You will be cleared to leave tomorrow, and I expect you to come for check-ups every two weeks, as these are no ordinary pregnancies."

"Thank you, doctor," Regina said to him and watched him leave.

"Love, do you know what this means?" Emma asked her.

"Yes…" Regina said calmly.

"They're ours, like,  _really_  ours. Wow."

But Regina's mind was in a different scene this moment.

"We said so many hurtful things based on wrong assumptions," Regina said sadly. "Actually, not all of them were wrong, but we did hurt each other and I don't want that to happen ever again."

"Me neither, Regina."

"Are you still set in mind to leave me? Because I won't stop you if that's what you find healthiest, Emma."

"No. NO. You were right. I run away when things become serious, but I don't want to be like that anymore. I can't go back to being the person I was before Storybrooke. I need my family. I need you. I can’t lose you."

Regina smiled and told Emma they should try to get some rest. David had come pick Henry up from the waiting room and took him home.

 

* * *

 

At the Charming’s, they were relieved things hadn't ended badly, and were really stunned at the news. Mary Margaret couldn't believe she would be a grandmother again and that it would be _twice_ the thrill.

She had a big smile in her face and already wanted to start knitting blankets for the babies.

 _But which color?_  Wow, this was really exciting.

"I vote white," Henry said to his grandmother.

"Gender neutral, like Emma’s," David said after him.

"There’s only one little problem… I don't know how to knit," Snow remembered. "It was Granny who made Emma's baby blanket."

"She could teach you," David said to her.

"Or teach _you_ ," Snow glared at him. "Yes! That's what we'll do. You and I both are going to knit those cozy blankets for our new grandchildren."

"What?" David looked at her like she had a potato in her forehead.

"It's decided," Mary Margaret clapped her hands.

“Little help here, grandson,” David turned to Henry.

"Don't look at me, gramps. This is your fight."

"Darn… I just hope it doesn't damage my manicure," David winked at his wife, playfully.

Mary Margaret smiled at him.


	4. When Life Gives You Lemons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Friendly reminder that English isn't my first language, so things might sound weird at times.
> 
> I chose for Snow/David to be supportive because Emma has suffered enough, and having her parents confront her is not something I want or need. I want to stay on the bright side of the rainbow! Angst might come from somewhere else… or not at all. We shall see.

 

The drive home had been very quiet; both women felt the burden of their argument from the night before, and neither Emma nor Regina would speak, making the ambient in the cabin feel so thick you might be able to cut through it. David only asked about how they were feeling, and refrained from talking more than was necessary and just took them home. They had to solve this on their own.

In the Mills residence, Emma prepared for a warm bath. Spending the night in the hospital had been dreadful, and now that they were home, they felt like they could finally relax and try to find some normality in their lives.

She was fixing the water when Regina came to speak to her.

"Emma, I'm sorry," she said as her hands went to rest on her stomach—like they would always do when she felt anxious. "About yesterday. I didn't mean—"

"It's fine. Regina, I get it," Emma smiled warmly at her.

"No, it's not. I was very harsh and hurt you. I channeled my loathe for Hook against you and I can't forgive myself for putting our baby—babies in harm's way." Regina told her and a couple of tears rolled down the sides of her face.

Emma, at seeing the pain in Regina's face and feeling her own, walked to the entrance of the bathroom—where the brunette had been standing for some minutes now, unsure if she even deserved to be near Emma after all what happened.

"You never liked him." Emma chuckled lightly. "But it's okay now. I'm with you, and always will be," she told her softly as gentle thumbs went to brush away the tears from Regina's eyes. "Let's put this behind us, Regina. I forgive you." She kissed her eyelids gently. "Can you do me a favor and do the same?" Emma cradled her face in her hands and looked into dark brown eyes lovingly, offering a kind smile.

"I… I'll try. I will." Regina offered a half-hearted smile and Emma had to kiss her. She looked so small and defenseless it would be hard for anyone who wasn't Emma to recognize this was the same woman that could rip out hearts and crush them to dust if she so wanted.

"Good," Emma smiled into their kiss. "Can I request one more thing?" The blonde asked innocently as her hands went to tease the buttons of Regina's blouse.

"Mmm… I wonder." Regina's eyes recovered some of their mischievous spark they would always have when Emma began seducing her.

"Join me? You know  _how hard_  it is to reach one's back… to  _lather_  it all up."

Green eyes looked playfully at Regina and the brunette had to bite her lower lip when Emma's fingers began unbuttoning her blouse to slowly undress her.

"Indeed I do. I must help you get properly  _cleaned._ "

Regina pulled Emma into her arms and kissed her passionately, feeling her body almost burst into flames—hormones—the kind she welcomed better than those which made her have a blue mood every so often. Oh yes, these were much better, and Emma felt the same way.

When Henry got home, his mothers had already made-up, and were even more mellow then their usual, which was now on a diabetic level: too damn sweet, and he rolled his eyes whenever the love birds would exchange  _a look,_  or touch the other when she walked close by while setting the table for dinner.

_Could they be any more obvious?_

While he was getting used to it, it was still something new. Regina had raised him on her own; there was never a partner that he knew of, and she never displayed such affectionate manners towards anyone aside of him, but this was, again, different. _Adult things._

During the weeks that followed, Snow asked Regina to take over the Magister office.

Running Storybrooke was too different from running the White Kingdom, and baby Neal had become more attached to his mother and was awake much longer, more active, making it harder to be in the office with her son with her. She couldn't raise Emma and she didn't want to lose any minute with this new baby, so she decided to step down and let Regina do what she did best: be in charge.

Regina was in her element again. Those months away had allowed her to rest. She had, after-all, been behind that desk for twenty-eight years without a break, and her vacations did her well, but only for so long. She wasn't precisely a 'stay at home' mom, and missed her precious, elegant office, so when she was back and unpacking her stuff, the first thing she remembered to do was burn that hideous frame with a blue bird that Mary Margaret had hung on her wall to make the office  _more inviting_ , to add a  _splash_  of color to her black and white décor.

It felt so good to burn that blue robin bird down to ashes, it was almost as good as the day she believed she had set Snow White on fire at the stake, but the clever bandit had used dark fairy dust to turn into a bug and escape. Well, she was now thankful Snow lived to tell the tale, because she got, in return, something much better than her vengeance: she got Emma and Henry. It was hard to believe the two persons she loved most, came from the two idiots that started it all.

"Woah! Was that absolutely necessary?" Emma had asked her when she entered the office and saw the last flames burning, and helped Regina clean the ashes from the floor.

They put back a dragonfly picture Regina had previously had in that same spot and Emma couldn't help but smile. Regina was fun in her own pyromaniac way, and then she felt it—a movement in her stomach—and Regina looked at her at the same time.

"Did you feel that?" The blonde asked first.

"Yes. Did you, too?" Regina asked in surprise. She walked toward the Sheriff and put her hand over Emma's stomach, just as the blonde brought a hand to Regina's belly.

A gentle kick, on each mother.

Regina's eyes welled-up with tears and Emma embraced her. This was new for Regina; she had always dreamed to feel life growing inside her, but had not until now had this dream realize, and it was marvelous, frightening, but oh so beautiful. A true miracle.

"It looks like our babies liked that," the blonde said smiling, but quickly became worried. "Oh my God, what if they turn to be pyromaniac like you?" She blurted.

"Excuse me?" Regina scowled.

"Well, yeah… You kind of… enjoy setting things on fire." Emma knit her brow, and tried to look away from Regina's look of disapproval.

"That picture frame was hideous. I gave it a honorable death," Regina said proudly. "And I don't burn things on a daily basis."

Emma nodded and went to the desk, she turned the page on Regina's agenda, and pointed at the day. "We're gonna be late for our appointment," she tried to deflect the conversation.

Regina shook her head and let out a deep sigh. "We won't," she responded and threw her keys for Emma to catch them. "You drive."

The check-up went as usual, and Regina was pleased that Dr. Whale would always set up for two beds and ultra-sound machines to be side to side so they could see their babies at the same time.  _Royalty treatment for the royal couple._  He knew if he wanted to continue learning about inherited magic, he had to do everything Regina demanded from him. Their appointments had been farther in between than his requested two weeks span, as Regina decided against it, and Viktor – again – had to give up and not insist. They would come just as any other normal pregnant woman did. 

_Normal… They were nothing like the sort._

Viktor didn't find much from his investigation after the first discovery. But he did, however, learn that the gene for magic wasn't as uncommon in the people from the fairy tale land as he had thought; it was mostly dormant, inactive: a sleeping gene that was passed around to offspring.  _How it was made active_ —that was his next question.

 _True Love?_  

That was the first hypothesis. But what made true love be True Love? It couldn't be such a rare find, and some people who wielded magic, hadn't been products of True Love. There were always more questions than answers, and neither Regina nor Emma were there to give them. All they wanted was to ensure their babies were healthy.

"So you've felt the first kicks. That's to be expected from week fifteen, to as late as the twenty-fifth for a first time mother." The doctor informed them. "You're on your nineteenth week, we could try to see the gender of your children, if you wish."

"Yes," Regina responded. But at the same time Emma had mouthed a loud "No."

"What?" Regina looked at Emma with confusion. "Why?"

"I want it to be a surprise…" Emma answered innocently.

"But I'd like to know so we can paint the room accordingly, buy clothes and have everything ready when they come, Emma."

"What? That's not… They don't need anything in special, honey, just normal baby stuff."

"Should I give you a moment to decide?" Dr. Whale interrupted them.

"That won't be necessary, doctor. I'm pretty sure they're female," Regina responded.

"Given that there was no presence of male chromosomes, your deduction is most likely correct. But since this is magic at play, it wouldn't be un-wise to make sure," Viktor told her, looked at her and then at Emma.

Regina didn't want to look at Emma but she had to, and there it was:  _puppy eyes attack._  Regina couldn't win against those beautiful green eyes that looked at her with such tenderness and  _victimizing._

 _Damn it, Emma._  Yes, she had her wrapped around her finger.

"I suppose we will find out in due time. Thank you for your service, Dr. Whale."

They went to pick up Henry at school and he asked them to let him hang out with his friends and they gave him permission. He was growing fast and really making friends now that people no longer feared his brunette mother.

He spent more time out and about than he did with them, and it was okay. He was a teenager and needed space, and his grades were decent, though Regina believed he could do better, but Emma would come ask her not to add more pressure to him than needed. 

 _He'll do fine, life's not all about the A's_  — she would tell her.

"Look at me. I'm Sheriff, and I married the Mayor," Emma teased her and Regina frowned.

"When did that happen?" The brunette asked her. "I don't recall being invited to my own wedding," the brunette quirked an eyebrow.

 _Shit,_  Emma mentally cursed. She should've thought before speaking. "Well… I…" Emma didn't know what to say next.

That was a huge step.

Well, they already had a kid—soon to be three, but still,  _marriage?!_  The idea scared her. She did want to spend the rest of her life with Regina, she just never thought about a wedding, about these social constructions that made life more complicated than needed— not to mention expensive.

She had never considered if Regina thought the same way.

She had never mentioned the subject before, Emma assumed she was like her: she needn't prove anything to anyone with  _a big ass party_. But maybe Regina did want to have a ceremony in symbol of their union, to exchange vows and make a promise she would keep-  _'till death do us apart'_  -to give a deeper meaning and holiness to their bond; celebrate their well earned happy ending.

"I can see I just launched you to the precipice, dear," Regina commented after seeing Emma's face of torment and deep thought. "It was a joke," the brunette chuckled it off.

"Well, you got me..." Emma smiled nervously as she went to join her partner in bed.

Regina was back to reading and just side-glanced her.

"That I did. Let's get some rest. Tomorrow is the spring festival and we'll have a long day," Regina told her. She put her book down on the nightstand and turned her side lamp off.

"Good night, Ms. Swan," the brunette said playfully, but it didn't quite come out as intended.

"What? No kiss?" Emma's bells went alert.

"Of course. Come here, Sheriff." Regina turned to Emma's side and beckoned her to come closer. "It's an order," she was more playful now and Emma kissed her. Her hand soon found its way up to a tender breast and Regina had to break the kiss.

"Not tonight. I need my beauty sleep, Emma, and they are extra-sensitive."

Regina pressed a last kiss to Emma's lips and turned on her back to sleep.

* * *

In the downtown plaza, a lot of people were working. Shop owners were setting up their small tents to sell all sort of things; from cotton candy to non-dripping candles, and the small town felt more vivid and much bigger with all the movement happening in the heart of Storybrooke.

Granny had put her own little food truck where Ruby and Marlene would be working. They would be selling cupcakes this year time, as all they had to do was frost them to order, so it was quite easy and fast.

Marlene had been encouraging Ruby all this long to continue seeking Belle's friendship, and made sure the werewolf kept her up to date on their "strictly friendly," #no homo dates.

Ruby had been more frequent at the library, and even asked Granny to cut her working days so she could have the whole weekend free, because of Saturdays, as the library didn't open on Sunday, and Ruby had not many excuses to keep asking Belle out. She didn't want to force herself on her  _every_ Sunday, so she volunteered to help her with the books during Saturdays. Spending time together felt just… right.

The first two months had been the toughest for Belle after her break-up with Rumple, but having Ruby keep her company made it better. She didn't feel as lonesome and it felt nice to have some help in the library—not like there was crazy movement there, but it just felt good. It felt right to have Ruby around, she was a good friend.

As time continued to move on, so did Belle, and the day came when she made a big decision.

She had finished dressing up to go work when she looked at her hand. She looked for a good minute and then decided what she would be doing; she pulled out her wedding ring and placed it in a small box—the same in which Rumple had given it to her: a wooden jewelry box with an intricate rose, carved in masterful handcraft that could only have come from Ghepetto's shop.

"Goodbye, Rumple," she said with a breaking voice and took a moment to let her last tears for Rumplestiltskin pour out; she had to let him out of her system completely.

It was hard to believe it would soon be five months since his departure—since she banished him to the land with no magic. It was a long time, but she still had nightmares in which he was back somehow, begging her for a second chance, but just to lie to her again and hurt the people she cared about; her father... and Ruby.

Ruby always jumped to protect her—not Ruby: the Wolf—but no one would ever match the Dark One's power, and the result was always the same: death. Belle couldn't go back to sleep after that haunting dream, and it kept her from allowing herself to opening up to… to getting closer to her new friends. She'd met Marlene, and she was also good friends with one of the dwarves, sleepy, even when he would mostly go to the library just to sleep and drool over her precious books.

Hook had even tried to get close to her, few weeks after Emma broke up with him outside the station, and when he soon found he wasn't as irresistible as he thought, he kept on insisting. He liked  _challenges:_  women who refused his advances, and Belle had been one of those who said no, along Tinkerbell, and Emma. She was another conquest.

He had other women, girls who liked him for his looks, but this didn't seem to fulfill him— he just had to push on the women who didn't want him, until Belle showed him a restraint order, and the Sheriff (Emma) told him sharply he only had two choices: to either respect her, or leave Storybrooke to never come back.

Regina had given him a different set of choices at the time: respect or die—off the record, but it had kept him well away from Emma. But Belle didn't have someone like Regina anymore, nor would she reach such heights, so she had recurred to the police to file that order.

Still, on a heavily drunk evening, Hook committed the mistake of following Belle outside the library after closing. He followed her for a long distance, until they crossed the street and, him being so drunk, didn't realize the smart woman had walked them right into the station. Emma was baffled.

"Really?" Was all Emma could say, and David came to handcuff the bastard and put him on the back of the patrol, drove him to the edge of town, and pushed him to cross the line.

"Let's see if you can pay with doubloons out there, pirate." David told him, remembering how Hook had called him  _old-fashioned even by his standards_ , when he told him Emma was not some conquest.

That was the last of Hook they would ever see.

* * *

The festival would officially start at noon and everyone was hurried to have everything ready. There would be a small but quaint parade with some cars embellished with flowers to allure to spring time, and in the gazebo would be the small orchestra from Henry's school, where children would be playing some music—Henry would be playing the viola—to harmonize the event.

Everything was so normal, it made Emma doubt she was in Storybrooke. She would be watching order in the event to prevent theft, or naughty lost boys from vandalizing public property. Regina had a speech to give, but she was a master at her craft and didn't need practice, so she was mostly there to arrange for everything to appear perfect.

Snow carried her baby in the stroller and was looking at all the tent shops to see what she would be buying, and decided to take home a small candleholder that had a crowned swan etched on the crystal. It was very pretty and it reminded her of Emma, and, curiously, of Regina as well. It was a nice motif to have in her place: a symbol of the light that lit Regina's darkened heart to love again- Emma's light.

Who would have thought the Savior hadn't come to destroy the Evil Queen, but rather to fight alongside with her to deter the evil in her heart and find light again- true love, and have a complete family with their son? Certainly never Snow, but she wouldn't have it any differently. Perhaps some things were just meant to be, and her daughter was truly happy with the Queen, Snow was sure of that.

The festival was lively and seeing the kindergarten children dance dressed up as little animals, flowers, and fruits and veggies, made their hearts swell. Snow could imagine baby Neal dressed-up as a lovely carrot; Regina was reminded of small Henry when he participated in those plays, and it made her smile brightly, but for Emma this was a new experience and she couldn't avoid tearing. She was emotional but happy she would be able to build all these real memories with their babies some day soon.

Belle went up to Granny's food truck and greeted Mar, who beamed at her, and told her Ruby would be right there to attend her, because she had to frost a dozen cupcakes for the fairy nuns that wanted blueberry with cream.

"Oh, hey, you!" Ruby smiled widely when she looked at the beauty. "You put up a shop, too?" She asked her.

"No. I wanted to enjoy the festival, and my trip couldn't be complete without a lemon poppy seed cupcake, if you have any left?" Belle smiled somewhat shyly at her.

"Let me check!" The werewolf told her and went to look. "Looks like it's your lucky day; we only have one left," she went and gave it to Belle. "My treat," she winked at the other woman and Belle's cheeks turned a pretty rosy.

"Why, thank you," Belle made a curtsy and Mar rolled her eyes at them— _so effing cute and adorkable._

"Okay, those were the last! It looks like we're done early, Rubes." Mar said to Ruby. "I will clean up and drive this baby home. Go have some fun, girls! Just like I will, but not here. My babe said she had a surprise for me if I got home early," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Well, ooookay. We didn't need to know, geez," Ruby grumbled. Belle was chuckling behind her lemon cupcake.

"You have some… frosting on your face," Ruby informed her, pointing with a finger.

"What, where?" The other woman tried to get it with the tip of her tongue and it made Ruby laugh.

Belle blushed when she realized how silly she was looking, but even more when Ruby came closer and wiped the frosting off the corner of her lip with a finger, and licked it off her fingertip before thinking. She used to tease men like this, but she had never done with a girl, and it wasn't actually on purpose—she just did out of reflex, and turned just as red as the beautiful rose standing a mere distance from her.

"Uh… sorry. Old habits…" The werewolf averted her eyes and looked around her in total embarrassment.

"It's alright, silly." Belle smiled shyly, but even if both women wanted to behave like it was nothing, they couldn't; they felt attracted.

"So… maybe I should head back to the truck, help Mar finish," Ruby said, but then they heard Marlene yell at them. "I got this," and the next thing they heard was the roar of the engine of that old truck.

"M'kay…" Ruby looked at Belle, but at the same time tried not to.

"You worked all morning, why don't you let me treat you something? You want to go try the… chimichangas?" Belle asked her and Ruby couldn't help but chortle at her lovely accent.

"What now?" Belle asked her somewhat embarrassed. "You laughing at my accent again?"

But Ruby couldn't answer, and the other woman had to add some lemon frosting to her mocking face to make things even.

"O.M.G. You just frosted me!" Ruby pretended to be offended, and started walking dangerously towards the auburn-haired beauty. "You will pay for this," she said in a deep, lower tone of voice. "Run if you know what's good for you."

Belle started running. It was silly, but she couldn't help it, and Ruby allowed her to gain some distance because, whatever distance that might be, she would be fast behind her step anyway.

"Run, run all you want, but you can never escape this beast," Ruby yelled behind her, she howled and then started chasing her.

Belle ran and ran, and didn't realize they had moved away from the festival until she stopped to see she'd made it to the park, and then she felt something literally sweep her off her feet and roll on the grass, landing with Ruby atop her, her eyes glimmering with the iridescence of the Wolf.

"Gotcha!" Ruby pinned her down and her animal instinct didn't let her prevent her next action; she leaned closer to Belle's face and inhaled her sweet perfumed scent. "Sweet and beautiful in every way."

"Do you really believe that?" Belle asked her, feeling a new shade of red tint her face.

Ruby snapped out of it and shook her head, but when she was about to hop off Belle, the other girl cupped her face. There was no fear in light brown eyes, there was something else… and Ruby felt her heart beat as though the wolf was fighting to escape the jail that was her ribcage.

"I… I…" Ruby was unable to respond, but the look in her eyes was a clear answer.

Belle pulled her closer gently and their lips met in a kiss that was petal soft, but it punctured Ruby's heart like a sharp thorn, and she knew she would bleed out if this were only to happen once between them, if this had been a mistake.

"Belle…" The younger woman tried to break the kiss but she couldn't: her body had a different desire, and instead pressed stronger, indulging in the reciprocity of their kiss.

The sun was warm over their skin and the wind blew softly, the lush grass offered cushion and it was just a perfect spring day, made all the more beautiful with this sweet kiss.

After a minute of kisses and tender touches, they broke it and lay side by side. They were the only people in the park because of the festival, and only the blue sky was witness of the blooming of this love between them.

"All that time, I had been with the wrong Beast," Belle said softly. 

It made Ruby smile and blush. Belle laced her fingers with Ruby's, and loved how it felt to touch her like this. It was innocent, but it was very completing, a feeling that deeply warmed her heart.

"Is this real?" Ruby had problems believing she wasn't dreaming. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," the other girl replied as they looked into each other's eyes deeply.

"I love you, my red rose of beauty," Ruby confessed finally and brought Belle's hand to her lips to kiss it gently.

"And I you, my lemony frosted beast."

They smiled at each other and shared another kiss, and Beauty and the Beast began living a happier fairy tale.


	5. A Blanket of Love

The festival had been a success, as had been in the past before Emma arrived in town and everything became a big mess with the curse shattering around them.

They hadn't had any festivities after Miners' day, two years ago, because of all the villains that surfaced after Regina's curse had been broken; Rumplestiltskin bringing magic, the Office, Peter Pan, going back to the Enchanted Forest, the Wicked Witch, the Snow Queen—they had  _really_  had  _no_  rest—and missed this world and its festivities more than what they'd missed their old fairytale lives upon waking up from their twenty-eight year long impasse that at moments felt like  _a dream come true_  for some of them.

When you put everything in perspective,  _living under Regina's curse wasn't so bad;_ many of the townspeople shared this new sentiment, and had grown to accept Regina—growing  _fond_  of her was maybe too much asking, but there certainly was a new type of respect everyone had for her, born out of something other than fear.

When Emma, Regina, and Henry got back home in the afternoon, they felt dead-tired. The little family went to the living room to turn on the T.V. with the intention to watch a movie together, but what they did instead was inevitably fall asleep on the couch with the T.V. on.

Henry was laying his head over the armrest, and his shoeless feet were over the cushion; Regina's head was on Emma's chest, she was inside her embrace, and Emma's chin was now resting over Regina's head in their uncomfortable, but favorite position when watching television together.

Emma had showed Regina how to use netflix and made her quite a big fan of Xena, and they would fight over whom of them was the warrior princess. Emma would insist  _she_ was Xena, and Regina was Gabrielle, but Regina disagreed passionately and insisted it was the other way around. It was really fun for Emma to rile-up Regina with this and only made it to tease her, as their bickering always ended in tickles, kisses, and sometimes  _more._

* * *

(Flashback: week 13)

"Make-up sex with you is worth getting a hundred fireballs thrown at my ass," Emma told Regina as she was being pinned down in bed, and Regina smiled mischievously as she held her tightly onto the mattress, looking deep into green eyes with burning desire.

"You only say that because I don't actually make them with the intention to hurt you," Regina responded before claiming rosy lips in a passionate kiss that could be enough to make anyone come undone without even stripping out of their clothes.

"If I had known you were this passionate after an argument, I would have confessed my intentions with you the second day of my arrival in Storybrooke," Emma told Regina. "Hell, if you hadn't kicked me out so fast, I would've scored with you that same night."

"Really? Are you telling me it was love at first sight, dear?" Regina chortled.

"As much as it was for you, you know," Emma raised a cocky eyebrow.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Sheriff, but I didn't fall in love with you at first sight," Regina said coolly, but the smile on her lips and glint in her eyes suggested a different story.

"Lie to me all you want but you know I'll know the truth. Your eyes can deceive others but never mine," Emma lifted her face to steal a kiss from the woman above her. "I have my Regina senses, don't forget."

"Well, I wouldn't call it  _love at first sight._  More like fatal attraction, dear," Regina grinned.

"Hmm… That's pretty accurate. I thought you would be the death of me, but I didn't imagine it might  _actually_ walk on the literal sense of the saying," Emma's brow furrowed. "You were quite difficult, to say the least. But now, where we are, I wouldn't change a thing because you were worth it.  _This_  is worth it." Green eyes gazed into brown deeply.

"What are your 'Regina senses' telling you this moment,  _Miss Swan_?" Regina asked in a sensual voice and then brushed her lips ever so lightly over Emma's, but didn't kiss her.

Emma rolled them over and now it was  _her_  pinning Regina down in bed. "That I should to  _fuck_  you from dusk 'till dawn."

"Oh, really," Regina teased her. "Is that what my eyes told you?"

Emma's right hand moved down to slip inside Regina's underwear and quickly confirmed.

"Yes," Emma answered proudly.

She brought her hand back from inside Regina's panties and into her mouth to lick her fingers, which were moistened with her juices, and Regina's eyes almost glowed with magic at the arousing image while Emma moaned as she cleaned them one by one.

"You make me so hot, it's not even funny," Emma whispered in Regina's ear.

"It's the pregnancy. I've read it alters hormones and—" Regina was speaking when a desperate kiss made her hush.

"Oh shut-up. It's not the pregnancy; I've always felt like this with you. You're more addicting than you believe, and my thirst for you can only be quenched if I drink directly from the source of my despair:  _you._ "

Emma left Regina speechless for a moment, until she made her moan when she moved to the hot, wet place in between her legs to taste her from over damp underwear.

"Vanish these, please," Emma pleaded, and Regina made her lingerie disappear.

Emma indulged in the nectar of her true love's arousal, and Regina was so sensitive, it wouldn't take much effort to make her climax. A pink tongue teased the small bud of Regina's clit, and two confident fingers slowly penetrated her, twisting and pushing against that spot that made Regina lose control over her body and quiver under Emma's stimulation.

Emma knew Regina's body like the palm of her hand now and knew just where, when, and how to touch her to make her orgasm come like a wave crashing through her body, unrelenting.

Regina's legs clamped Emma inside as her orgasm came and the blonde gently retrieved her fingers and replaced them with her tongue, going as deep as it could to savor the prize of her achievement.

"Come here, you idiot," Regina's voice was raspy, and her breathing was still agitated.

Emma went to her embrace and kissed her mouth without the innocence of their first smooches; their tongues played with each other, and Regina could taste herself in Emma's mouth, and it was so very sensual. She wanted to taste Emma but she knew the sheriff was in a dominant mood that night, and would continue making her come until the sun rose in their window, or until they fell asleep wrapped in each other's body—and it was perfect.

* * *

(Present: week 19)

Regina was the first one to wake up from their afternoon nap. Her body was hurting from the position and she did her best not to wake up the others as she parted from her lover's embrace, but Emma immediately wrapped her arms around her waist—now wider—and pulled her to sit over her lap.

"Where do you think you're going?" Emma's voice was still slightly hoarse.

Her hands went to caress Regina's thighs under the dress, her chin nestled on Regina's shoulder, and Emma spoke behind her ear. "You smell so nice," she began kissing her neck.

"Emma, we have company," Regina muttered, and pointed at their sleeping son.

"He's asleep, and when he's snoring like an ogre," Emma signaled when the kid snored, "there's nothing that can wake him."

"Still. Behave," Regina tried to stand again but Emma pulled her down once more.

"Noooo… don't leave me. I feel cold without you in my arms," the blonde whined.

"It's summer," Regina rolled her eyes. "And what are you, three? I need to make dinner."

"I'll have  _you_  for dinner…" Emma raised both eyebrows playfully.

"Emma," Regina muttered. "You can have  _me_  for  _dessert_ , but our son needs actual nourishment."

"Ugh… right. In that case, I will help. To cut the time shorter…" the sheriff kissed her neck once again before loosening her grip. "I guess I'll make the salad."

"Thank you."

Regina went to the kitchen, Emma followed behind her, and when the blonde woman went to pull some of the vegetables from the bottom of the fridge, Regina stood behind her, ogling her nice ass in those modern pregnancy leggings Emma had bought online.

Emma was leaning down when she felt the presence behind her, and hands come to her hips. She rose and pressed her body against Regina's, feeling that precious bump behind her back that was not much bigger than her own belly.

"Coleslaw, or do you prefer Cesar?" Emma asked as she grinded lightly against Regina, holding a small cabbage in one hand and a lettuce in the other.

"Fuck salad. Let's order pizza and go upstairs," Regina kissed Emma's neck and her hands went to cradle the other woman's belly.

"Are you suggesting we should have a  _quickie_ , madam mayor?" Emma teased her as she closed the fridge.

"I'm suggesting exactly that."

A swirl of purple smoke engulfed them and brought them to the bedroom.

Regina was kissing Emma with  _hunger_ and the blonde chuckled lightly, thoroughly enjoying how much her partner desired her, but had to break the steamy kiss to make the call to Valentino's Pizza; a new business that had recently opened in what was once 'Any given sundae' after the Snow Queen was gone and the local was made available for rent.

Regina's hands never left Emma's hips during the time she'd been making their order, and kept kissing her neck gently, giving her a real hard time with trying to keep herself from moaning into the phone, until she was over with the call.

_Devious minx._

Emma turned to face the mayor again and Regina spared no time in ridding Emma of her black tank top, leaving her in her bra. Regina cupped Emma's breasts, which were noticeably bigger now, and fondled them through the soft fabric, making the blonde moan softly. Red lips kissed the creamy white skin of Emma's shoulder, and continued moving down to kiss the valley of her breasts.

Emma tilted back her head, eyes closed in enjoyment, and Regina went to kiss her pulse point as her hands now rid Emma of that bra. Delicate hands then moved down to push the stretchy band of the prenatal leggings down, and Regina knelt to finish removing those tight jeans look-a-like pants.

Emma was down to her panties and needed to make the game  _even,_  but she had a different idea. A swirl of silvery-white magic then made Regina's clothing vanish and she was very proud at her improved skills.

"I've been practicing this trick for this specifically," Emma winked.

"Magic always comes with a price," Regina playfully reminded her with a spank to her butt.

"Mmm… Then make me pay for it," Emma said sensually.

She pulled Regina to her body in a quick movement, and when their bellies bumped against each other, the sensuality turned into throaty laughter.

 _So much for playing Don Juan,_  Emma thought.

"That was more erotic in my head, to be honest," Emma chortled.

"Oh Emma," Regina couldn't stop chuckling.

"Hey! Stop laughing at me," Emma felt her cheeks turn rosy. "I was trying to seduce you."

"Yes," Regina kissed her, and her hands went to take hers. "Come here, my love," she guided Emma to bed, and gently pushed her so she sat on the edge of the mattress.

Regina's hands cradled Emma's chin as she leaned down to kiss her sweetly in the beginning, but then her tongue sought entrance to her mouth and Emma parted her lips to allow it. Regina's hands moved from Emma's face to her shoulders, then slid down her toned arms, and slowly went to caress her nice toned thighs, gently moving them to separate them.

Emma felt a tingling sensation in that warm, humid place between her legs, as she spread them open, and Regina kissed her more deeply. Regina then pushed Emma gently to lay on her back, kneeling on one knee by the bed to level her head with Emma's aching center as the sheriff made herself comfortable.

"You shall be my dinner, as I your dessert later," the mayor said before bringing her mouth to taste Emma. A long leg remained on the edge of bed, as the other drooped beside Regina. Emma's body was writhing in no time.

It didn't take too much time to make Emma cum, as she had been aching to have intimacy with her woman for days, actually weeks, but the moment just hadn't _come_. So when Emma finally felt that tongue and those fingers move inside her, it was like magic on its own, and she came so loudly all of the neighborhood would have heard her, hadn't Regina been cautious to project the spell that enclosed the sound in their bedroom so they could be as loud as they need be: Emma's moans, groans, and screams of pleasure were only for her personal enjoyment. That and the fact they didn't want to scar their son for life, because they could get pretty loud some nights.

 

* * *

 

 

The doorbell rang and Henry went to open. He had awoken just a few minutes ago, and woke up to find the T.V. was still on, and Batman (The Dark Knight Rises) was playing— one of his favorites.

He noticed there was money over one of the small tables in the foyer, and when he saw through the peephole it was the pizza guy at the other side of the door, his eyes finished opening  _fully,_  and was no more sleepy.

_Awesome!_

"I'll get the pizza," he yelled from below the stairs, and Regina removed the spell.

"Be down in a minute, Henry. Thank you!" Emma yelled back.

"I hate it when you two do that; yelling from room to room, or the stairs," Regina grumbled.

"Pardon me, your Majesty. I promise such an offense shan't repeat," Emma teased her.

"It always does," Regina rolled her eyes.

"Well, yeah… But my Queen is most merciful, and spares this simple fool each time," Emma showed a toothy grin.

"Stop talking like that, Emma," Regina said as her arms wrapped around her neck.

"I love you," Emma beamed at her, and kissed her lips tenderly.

"And I love you, too, silly."

And in a swirl of purple smoke both women were dressed again— all freshened up.

* * *

The following weeks were without any special events, aside of their usual visits to the hospital so they could see the development of their twins.

Everything was normal—as far as  _normal_  a 'magical' pregnancy could be—and they were happy that Emma's anemia had been solved quickly with the vitamins, and her going back to eating the bear claws she so much missed.

Her body was used to the high calorie diet because she was much more active, and she had only been fooling herself to think her needs were the same as Regina's—they clearly weren't. Regina could live on kale salads but Emma needed her grilled cheese: everyone is different.

It was hard to believe they were _thirty-two_ weeks pregnant already, and even more shocking that they had been an official couple for this long—at least to Emma, because she'd never had a relationship last so long. Not even with Henry's biological father, but with Regina it just felt right; it felt it was the most natural thing, because nobody could understand each other the way they both did, and no one could ever complement the other the way Regina and Emma did. They were two sides of the same coin.

Next weekend they would be having their baby shower at Granny's, and Regina felt stressed that Mary Margaret didn't allow her to be stressed about the party. The younger woman had everything planned for them, and she had David working his ass off buying the baby themed supplies, and helping her build the banners and centerpieces for the tables to decorate the small eatery for their celebration.

They couldn't celebrate Emma's first pregnancy, so they certainly wouldn't be missing the chance to make of the second a memorable event, and it was also in honor of Regina.

 _How many people could celebrate a double magical pregnancy?_   Well, actually nobody.

Ruby and Belle had also been helping during their free time, and it made Belle feel emotional. She had always wanted a baby, and seeing Emma and Regina be able to create life together, gave her so much hope, but she didn't know—and didn't dare ask—if Ruby felt the same way about having a family, or about settling down—about marriage at all—to be honest.

 _Wait. Was she thinking about marriage already?_  They'd been dating for only two months.

It was the happy day, a sunny Sunday in summer, and Emma and Regina were at Granny's half an hour earlier, as Regina insisted. But Snow had already imagined it would be like that, since Regina kept insisting she should help with something—anything—as it was their babies the ones they were celebrating, but it was all just an excuse to exercise her control compulsion and Mary Margaret was not having any of it. This was  _her_  party for her grandchildren. 

Each table had a centerpiece made with a lovely terracotta pot that carried a  _sweet_  topiary—very Mary Margaret. Marshmallows, and strawberries were covered in white chocolate and adorned with lavender swirls of the same candy, as a treat for their guests.

There was a big sign "Emma & Regina's Baby Shower" hanging next to the booth that the 'second mothers' would be occupying with their close family, and many cut-out figures of diapers and baby bottles and the like were all over the walls, much to Granny's dismay.

The place was packed with people and the ambient was very harmonic, and Regina couldn't avoid crying a little when she said her words of gratitude to everyone present, and Emma felt her own eyes sting, too, but she held back her tears and laced her fingers with Regina's for support.

"Okay. Let's all play a game!" Mary Margaret exclaimed to draw everyone's attention.

"Ugh… Really?" Emma turned to Regina and knit her brow. "This is my least favorite part of baby showers," she murmured.

"Can't say I've been to many… or any, dear. I'm actually quite curious about what your mother has in store," Regina told her and kissed Emma's cheek.

Mary Margaret went on and gave everyone a roll of toilet paper. "The person who guesses the right size of each of their baby bumps will earn a lovely prize."

"What? That's the game?" Regina asked Emma.

"Told ya… It's dumb."

Everyone started tearing big pieces of paper from the roll, and would look at Regina and then to Emma to decide if they needed to rip some little squares off their original guess, or go ahead and take a new and even longer piece.

After some minutes, the time was up, and the ones who decided to join the game, would come to warp the toilet paper around the pregnant lady to measure and see if they'd guessed right. Regina felt slightly uncomfortable at first because she wasn't used to being approached by other people than the Charmings, and people weren't used to approaching her either, but slowly got more comfortable and continued with the game.

As it was expected, Belle was the one who guessed the right size for both Emma and for Regina, and everyone was surprised that Regina's belly had been in fact the one slightly bigger than the other—the reason why all the others failed in their guesses, or maybe it had been their concern about bringing a too big piece of paper that might offend the mayor… that was probably the reason.

They received many presents but the one they liked the most was that of Charming and Snow's: the two white baby blankets with purple bows.

They were extra tight in some parts, loose in others—done by beginners, it was obvious, and it was perfect. It was heart-felt and even Regina, being a perfectionist, couldn't dislike them, quite the contrary. It really showed their story with its ups and downs, its moments of weakness and of strength; she found a deeper meaning to the knitting than what Snow White might have intended, which was also beautiful on its own way. And it was even more 'charming' because  _charming_  had also helped; Henry secretly told Regina in the ear.

_The two idiots._

It took them years to get to this point, and it was all thanks to Henry, their  _firstborn._  He was Regina's first reason to change for the better, and then it was Emma who kept her motivated, until they realized they had been in love for quite a long time, embraced their feelings, and allowed themselves this happy ending— still developing.

When they got home, Emma helped Regina put some of the baby clothes and blankets in the washer to get them ready for when the day came, which was quickly approaching. And when the laundry was over, Emma held one of the little dresses—a sailor white dress with a blue navy bow—and put it over her belly.

"Lucy will wear this one first," Emma said to Regina.

"You picked a name for your twin without me?" Regina asked her irritated.

"Relax, it's not yet decided, but I kinda like it. And you?"

"It's cute… Although, I was hoping we would choose more meaningful names," Regina responded and went to sit down on one of the rocking chairs. "Or with the same initials for the least."

" _Okay_ … but we're not picking calendar ones, and definitely not from our ancestors, 'cause there's no way I would be naming our girls after Eva and Cora. Imagine that," Emma commented absentmindedly. "They'd be at each other's throats, twenty-four seven," she mumbled.

"You really had to say that, didn't you? You know Henry's name is very meaningful to me, don't tease me about it."

"Sorry… but look, same initials? I always found that silly. It's a very _posh_ thing the rich do with their kids," Emma shook her head. "And also the naming after their mighty ancestors."

"We're royalty. We can afford it," Regina smirked.

"Ugh… Honey," Emma looked at Regina. "No."

"So Lucille it is for yours," Regina nodded. "Then mine shall be named Lorena," the brunette raised a cocky eyebrow.  _Game on._

"You know, I think I prefer Amelia, now that I think about it," Emma grinned.  _Two can play this game._

"Nice, and I think I vibrate more with Andrea," Regina changed her mind.

"Marina," Emma continued.

"Maribel," Regina easily followed.

"Helena," Emma challenged.

"Ha—Hmn…" Regina couldn't think of another nice name she liked with H. "Well played, Miss Swan," Regina pouted.

"Oh, come on. Don't get mad, my love," Emma went to her side and tried to kiss her pouty lips but Regina turned to the side to avoid her, and folded her arms over her chest.

"Hey! That hurts," Emma whined.

"I don't like you right now, Swan. Leave me alone."

"But, baby," Emma tried again and failed. "Regina…"

"Fuck off, Emma," Regina blurted.

It wasn't often that Regina cursed but after spending so much time together, some of Emma's bluntness and bad manners had rubbed onto her, and Regina could get pretty colorful from time to time.

Emma couldn't stop herself from laughing at the silliness of their little fight, Regina just continued to glare at her.

"I love Marina and Maribel," Emma confessed, and immediately both women felt the small kicks in their stomachs and turned to look at each other in surprise.

"You're not the only one who does," Regina said pleasantly surprised.

"So that's it. They like their names," Emma knelt before Regina and put her hands over the brunette's belly.

"Do you, my little Maribel?" She asked in the sweetest voice Regina had heard yet, and Emma felt the kick of Regina's twin.

"She does," Regina's tears fell.

She was very emotional and Emma's sweetness was so beautiful, it always got to her.

Emma took Regina's hand in hers and brought it to her belly. "Marina, duckling, kick mommy if you agree your other mommy should kiss her."

 _A kick_ —Regina felt Marina's not-so-light kick in her hand, and rolled her eyes at Emma.

"Duckling?" Regina smiled and shook her head. "Really, Miss Swan?"

" _Regal_ duckling, my Queen," Emma said formally, and made a light bow with her head.

"Come here dork," Regina pulled her close to kiss her lips lovingly.

* * *

Three more weeks passed and Emma and Regina looked really… fucked up. Swollen feet, puffy eyes from lack of sleep, discomfort on their backs—it wasn't all the time, but it was often that they'd be uncomfortable. But Regina was having more difficulty dealing with it than than Emma, for this was her first pregnancy and she wasn't sure she would be looking forward to a second.

_Wait. How on earth would they prevent that?_

Regina was freaking out one night after deciding she wanted no more  _sexy time_ because she felt gross, looked miserable, and—did she mention her back fucking hurt? Oh, and her breasts itched like hell _._  But also, she was insecure.

Emma offered to massage her with cocoa butter—no sexiness intended—but Regina knew she couldn't be trusted. Once she started fondling her belly, or even her shoulders, both women would fail to remain neutral to their bodies, and end up doing more than just  _soothing an itch._ They were too hot for each other even at this stage, and their tension—both sexual, and physical—was just piling up as Regina kept her distance.

 _Agony—_ that's what Regina felt when Emma's fingertips touched her back  _strictly soothingly,_  secretly aching for a more intimate touch, and a soft moan escaped Regina's lips and Emma knew exactly what type of moan that was.

"If you want," Emma raked her fingers down Regina's back and stopped at the base, "I could, you know…  _We_  could do things. Adult things…" Emma's fingertips rolled up slowly until stopping at her shoulders.

"No… I'm not—I don't need that kind of attention right now…" Regina responded and kept her gaze away from Emma's.

"But maybe I need you," Emma said openly. "You do realize we won't have time for us when these ducklings swim out? _"_  She appealed to Regina's judgment. "Not for quite a few weeks, or months, more after they join us. I can wait, but not so long…"

"I do… It's just I don't feel as  _pretty_ ," Regina told her. "How can you want this?"

"Do you not find me attractive anymore? With this big belly and pink scars?" Emma asked in return.

"God, no. I find you most wondrous, Emma. You're so beautiful, and I find every inch of you perfect—inside and out—my love. Don't ever doubt that," Regina immediately turned to kiss her.

"That's exactly how I feel for you, Regina. Please never think I don't desire you or find you less attractive. Not possible," Emma assured her.

"Emma…" Regina felt her heart swell with love and warmth.

"Don't deny yourself pleasure because you feel insecure about your body: you're perfect, and I want you so, SO very much." Emma moved Regina's hair from her right shoulder to her left. "Would you share it with me?" She placed a kiss on her bare shoulder gently and made Regina shiver.

"When you ask like that…" Regina tilted her head to the side to expose her neck. "I'm all yours."

Emma smiled widely and went after the beautiful neck that was being offered, and both women shared their bodies and got over their insecurities through their pure loving. It was quite possibly the sweetest lovemaking they'd had since their first time, which would always be memorable— and actually that night of shots was the one that gave them their magical pregnancies.

 

* * *

 

All this while Dr. Whale had continued studying their samples, and had revised most of Storybrooke's DNA records—not that big of a city, lucky for him—and had come to the conclusion that magic was part of everybody who came from the fairytale world, but only activated in small cases, like some _diseases_. It could be a recessive trait, or evolutional for all he cared. All he wanted was to understand it and now he did, but he knew no amount of True Love magic he could extract from these babies would ever be able to bring back his brother, so he finally gave up on his quest to bring back the dead. There was only so much a doctor could do.


	6. Surprise, Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it has taken so long. I have more plot bunnies than time to write their stories. This is a short chapter but I hope you like it. I'm picking up on unfinished fics to close them, so it's taking a little while.

(Week 37)

In the Swan and Mills mansion, Emma woke up way before Regina did- four in the morning to be precise, looked at her sleeping partner and smiled warmly. Henry wasn't home, Regina believed him at a sleepover with Pinocchio, but in reality he was at his grandparents', where the Charmings worked all night together to get some stuff done.

Henry and Emma had planned something behind Regina's back to surprise her: positively or negatively, only time would tell. 

Emma poofed out of the bedroom and into the street, but not five seconds passed when she was back again, and it hadn’t been her magic. She knew because her magical color was a golden yellow; this magic had been pale lavender.

“Ouch! How could I forget?” Emma rubbed where the baby had kicked her.

Her child would always remind her whenever she forgot to kiss her mommy goodbye. True Love babies were something special indeed, and these were already displaying magic.

“Tell your little sister not to wake mommy, please.”

Emma gently caressed Regina’s belly. Looking warmly at the _sleeping beauty_ , she leaned down and pressed a feather-light kiss against Regina’s temple. Regina only stirred gently inside the covers, but continued resting peacefully. Once she had kissed mommy goodbye, she was able to poof right into her parents' living room.

 

* * *

 

"Kid, you ready?" Emma whispered from down the stairs, hoping Henry could hear her.

"Yeah… Coming," he lazily answered.

Next, she teleported them to Granny's. Ruby was already there, yawning as she held two cups of coffee, waiting for company. She had to drag her ass out of bed so much earlier, but it was for a favor for her friend, so she did it gladly.

"Thank you so much, Ruby. I owe you big time, I can never repay you."

"I know. The things we do for love, huh?" Ruby winked at her, but yawned again and stretched her neck lightly.

"Henry, have you got the—"

"Scroll. Yes. Stole it from her office yesterday while you were at your check-up," he said proudly.

"That's my son!" Emma ruffled his hair in pride.

"You're seriously complimenting your kid for stealing? You _:_ the Sheriff?" Ruby shook her head.

"I know. I'm a terrible figure to look up to, but it’s like you said: the things we do for love. Speaking of which, I thought Belle was coming? We can’t do this without her-”

“She is,” Belle responded as she walked up to them.

“Hey!” Ruby beamed at her girlfriend.

Belle got closer, got on her tiptoes and Ruby leaned down to kiss her. They smiled into their kiss and then at Emma.

“Please don’t be late. I know I’m an ass for not letting you spend more time outside, but with this crazy town, you never know, and that scroll is the only key to Storybrooke,” Emma said to them.

“It’s alright, Emma. At least we can go outside at all, that’s more than the rest of Storybrooke can say,” Ruby smiled amicably.

“Let’s go, babes,” the werewolf said to Belle, and gave her another kiss.

“Operation Red Bells is a go,” Henry smirked.

Emma smiled at him.

 

* * *

 

 

Emma took Henry back to her parents’ apartment to sleep, and went back home to Regina.

“Where were you?” Regina mumbled, partially awake but more sleepy than not.

“Had to pee.” Emma kissed her forehead.

 _M-hm,_ Regina responded, and fell back asleep.

Hours later, the aroma of pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, and eggs awoke her.

“Breakfast in bed.”

Emma smiled at her as she carefully set down the tray. Regina smiled at her and slowly sat up in bed. They had breakfast together in their pajamas, talking about how sometimes it still felt like they were living a dream and not real life, but it was very real and they were so happy they could have this beautiful and not so little family together. It couldn’t be better: this happiness had exceeded their expectations.

They took a shower and got ready for their “Moms Day Out.” The plan was to go to the movie theater and later have dinner at the new French restaurant- “Enchanté” - Lumiere had opened with his wife Plummet, enjoying they had the weekend all for themselves and soon they wouldn’t be having much alone time when the twins came. At least Henry could look after himself now; they had raised a responsible little man- _a prince._

 

* * *

 

Their first impression had them very pleased with the quaint restaurant. It was very elegant, and the floral touches around the place almost made it look like it was Valentine’s day, and the service was truly worth of royalty, though as fancy as Enchanté was, it still was modest in comparison to what you would find outside Storybrooke. Lumiere tended them personally and Regina couldn’t be more pleased for the welcoming feel of the place; it was such a fresh addition to the small town, the restaurant was always full and you had to make reservation with weeks ahead, Emma must have planned this romantic evening some time ago.

They were given a cozy, more private table by the fireplace, romantically divided from the rest of the area by a movable lattice wall that was embellished by vines, grapes, and crystals that twinkled with the reflection of the flames, and from the window to the opposite side they had the most wondrous view of the sea, painted in orange and pink hues from the sunset.

Food had been delicious and now was time for their dessert, and as the amicable man signaled the waiter to bring it forth, Regina noticed Emma’s sudden nervousness. She looked curiously at the woman across from her and then at the waiter as he carefully removed the small silver dome from the carrying tray, slowly revealing a little, black box, sitting atop an elegant arrangement of red and white rose petals and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Regina’s mouth gaped, then she looked at Emma again, who was rising from her seat.

“Is this…” Regina was really surprised.

Emma took the little box, opened it and revealed a diamond ring. She slowly got down on her knee and looked into Regina’s eyes lovingly.

“Will you marry me, Regina?”

“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you Emma.”

Regina leaned down to cup her face in her hands and they both cried happy tears as they shared a kiss. Lumiere gently helped Emma up, and then from around the lattice wall came Henry, Snow and David with baby Neal in a stroller, clapping their hands with enthusiasm. Regina beamed at them, tears trickling down the sides of her cheeks.

“What are you waiting for? Put a ring on it!” Snow cheerfully said to her daughter.

Emma and Regina chuckled. They wiped away the tears and then Emma gently pushed the ring into Regina’s finger. They kissed and hugged and Henry came to join them in their family embrace. Snow and David looked at each other and shared their own kiss of love, touched by seeing how happy Emma was, how happy they all were.

“That was quite the surprise,” Regina said to her family.

“And it's only just begun.” Emma winked her eye at Henry.

The service crew began to move pieces of furniture to make space at the center of the restaurant. From under two of the tables that were moved, people began to take out musical instruments, and gathered on a side. Regina just watched in awe and confusion. At one of the tables she distinguished Archie also getting up and setting some papers over some sort of podium they brought, and as she continued looking around, she began to recognize the people closer to them, along those who worked with them at the Station and the Town Hall. Everyone seemed to be up to something- part of something.

Then came Ruby and Belle, carrying each a beautiful wedding dress in their hands.

_It was happening now._

Regina turned to look at Emma with shock, but she also couldn’t keep from smiling.

“I couldn’t wait any longer for you to be my wife, is this okay?” Emma smiled sheepishly.

“It’s perfect, Emma!” Regina kissed her once more.

Belle and Ruby accompanied them to the restrooms separately, and helped them into their beautiful beige wedding dresses and new (modest) heels. This was the reason why it was so important for Belle to help them, because she had a keen eye and just knew which style and size would fit each pregnant bride perfectly. That silly game in their baby shower had revealed this skill of hers.

Weeks ago, Emma had begun her search online, but they all required an appointment for the fitting and she couldn’t travel out of Storybrooke without Regina knowing, plus she was decided that their wedding should be a surprise. That’s when she asked Ruby for help, and together with her girlfriend they found the prettiest options and arranged for the appointment. Belle requested three sizes for each version and after trying them on and making some calculations, she picked the right ones.

They already looked gorgeous before the outfit change, because Enchanté was a fine dining etiquette restaurant, but when they put on their wedding gowns it was mesmerizing to see the two women, glowing with true love on top of their natural beauty. Ruby touched up their makeup and hair a little, and in less than an hour they were ready to tie the knot.

“They’re ready,” Ruby came out to tell Henry.

Their son and best man went to tell the musicians to change into the wedding march. Behind the podium, Archie adjusted his tie and readied to officiate this wedding for them.

Music started playing and Emma went first, by her father’s arm. They walked to the improvised altar and then she waited for Regina to join. Henry offered his arm to his adopted mother and together they walked the isle up to his other mom.

They exchanged vows and kissed once more. People clapped cheerfully and soon the music changed to a waltz- Once Upon a Dream -for Emma and Regina to share their first dance as a married couple.

Regina nestled her chin on Emma’s shoulder, and talked to her ear.

“I have been dreaming about this day, ever since we found out we were both expecting our twins.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Emma felt a little guilty.

“I didn’t want to pressure you into something you might not want. You always ripped to shreds romantic movies, called them out on the tropes and predictability, so I mostly found you some sort of anti-romantic, but, wow Emma, you have completely changed how I perceived you in that aspect.”

“I outdid myself, didn’t I?” Emma chuckled.

“Indeed you have. This has by miles exceeded my expectations.”

“I was also going to have a plane draw the big question in the sky, but Henry said that was over the top.” Emma frowned.

“That would have been a _little_ too much.” Regina smiled warmly and kissed her again. “This is perfect.”

"I love you," Emma said to her.

"And I you," Regina responded.

They kissed once more, feeling like they were dancing in the air, floating together, as if they were the only people in the room.

After the waltz ended, they changed to more upbeat music and people came to join them dancing. They had a wonderful time together and when it was over, Happy and Dopey drove them home in a carriage. They made a reverence to both “Queens,” and left them to enjoy their wedding night. But they were so tired they immediately fell asleep, and they would have slept well into noon, hadn’t it be for the sensation of water trickling down their legs that awoke them.

“Our water broke!”


	7. Keeping up with the Mills

In a moment like this it was a blessing they’d let David continue teaching their son his driving lessons; now they were paying off as Henry drove them to the hospital. With the full moon shining upon them, they couldn’t help but feel more happy than nervous about this big day in their lives: their children’s birth.

 

Nurses were waiting for their arrival to carry them in wheelchairs to the delivery room after Emma had called Dr. Whale as soon as they realized their water had broken and the time had come.

 

Hours passed and Henry kept pacing down the hallway. Snow would look at him and ask him to try to relax and be patient, but he just couldn’t. He was the big guy in their home and often acted beyond his years, taking on a role that was at times more fatherly than it was of a son in his teens.

 

Finally he joined his grandmother in the seat next to her, and dozed off.

 

David had stayed home with their little son, but was attentive of the phone, waiting for the big news from his wife. He would join them as soon as there was daylight and he could drop Neal off with Belle and Ruby who absolutely adored the little guy and cared for him as though he were their own child, and the baby loved them back just as much.

 

Henry was having a dream. One in which he looked from afar at a scene of two girls about five years old, meeting a baby girl. He didn’t get to focus on the face of the mother, but heard the wail of the child, which grew louder until he realized it wasn’t the one in the dream, and heard his name as an echo from afar and snapped out of his trance.

 

“How long was I asleep?” He asked his grandmother, the owner of the voice that called him in his dreams.

 

“About three hours. I think they’re here, but Dr. Whale hasn’t come out to let us know.”

 

“I heard babies crying in my dreams, was it them?”

 

“I think so. I heard them, too.”

 

Henry got up from his seat and went over to the door from the room where they had his mothers, ignoring the nurse who tried to stop him politely. He told her something along the lines of “My mother is the mayor of Storybrooke, Queen of the Enchanted Forest, and my other mom is the Sheriff, _Savior_ , and Princess consort; I am your _Prince,_ and Author, so unless you want to become subordinate to nurse Ratched in the mental asylum for the rest of your days, you’re going to move aside and let me in.”

 

The nurse was scared shitless. She never imagined Henry, the sweet boy of Storybrooke who believed in everyone and second chances, would act like such a— Regina’s child. She moved away and let the young man pass, holding her hands up in surrender.

 

“Henry!” The doctor greeted him not pleasantly surprised. “What are you doing here? We’re still running some tests before you can come in.” He tried to push him back from where he’d entered.

 

But Henry felt something wasn’t right. He stole a glance to where his mothers lie and felt unsettled when he noticed they were unconscious, or at least that was how it looked like, and saw as the babies were also asleep, when he could swear he had heard them cry vigorously just some couple of minutes ago.

 

“What’s wrong with them?” Henry stood his footing and glared dangerously at him.

 

“They’re tired. Natural birth is very straining on both the mother and the child.”

 

Henry looked at him suspiciously. He pretended to accept his answer, turned around and left the room. But as soon as he was outside, he pulled out of his pocket a piece of paper he ripped from one of those blank books, and also pulled out the pen he always carried with him in the inner pocket at his chest.

 

 _“Dr. Whale had a moment of conscience and couldn’t help but tell the truth,”_ he wrote down.

 

Few seconds later, the doctor came fast behind the boy and confessed his sins.

 

“I was trying to buy myself some time so I could run some tests on your sisters. I thought if I had stem cells from their umbilical cords I could extract the very essence of True Love magic and market it for all kind of treatments; healing cancer, impotency, doing in-vitro without fail rate— because healing infertility wouldn’t pay as good,” he made a pause to wiggle his eyebrows and rub his fingers together, hot on the cash flow, “just imagine the possibilities, they could be endless! I would become a hero, a Savior in my field, and money, women and fame would come pouring once I got out of this shithole of an off-grid town nobody even knows about. My work, it has to get out, Henry, it must. I could get my own reality show! _But…_ I don’t have your mothers’ consent, so, I can’t. My dreams are _this_ close,” he used his fingers to illustrate again, “and yet so far.”

 

“You disgust me,” Snow said to the doctor.

 

“Yeah, I get that often. That’s exactly why I need this opportunity, my time to shine.”

 

“What did you do to them?!” Henry grabbed him by his coat, menacingly.

 

Nurses came to them and Henry had to let go of Viktor Frankenstein reluctantly.

 

“It’s harmless; just some poppies to make them sleepy. You think I’d harm my own source of possible endless income? Nah! They will wake up with the first rays of light in the sky, which should be in about two hours. See, I’ve done my research. I’m brilliant.” He winked.

 

Suddenly a fist collided with his nose and he stumbled, bleeding.

 

It was Snow’s.

 

“Come on, Henry. Let’s wait inside their room and make sure they don’t switch babies.”

 

They went inside the delivery room and watched over the nurses as they cleaned up the babies and also prepared the mothers to be changed into the room where they could get visitors. Henry and Snow didn’t abandon them any step of the way, and fiercely the young man looked over his sisters and anyone who came within five feet from the twins.

 

Snow let David know everything, and he had to wake Ruby up to let her know too so they would watch Neal for them. Then he called deputy August so he made it to the hospital to arrest Dr. Whale.

 

Once David made it to the hospital, he started asking for more doctors. It couldn’t be possible it was just Viktor, and after waiting a time that felt too long, a mature black man finally joined them. He’d been in surgery, fixing a broken leg.

 

“Doctor Rafi Ki,” he greeted them, extending his hand amicably.

 

The slender, grey-haired man emanated wisdom and solemnity, though the bananas and monkeys in his coat made it a little hard to take him seriously, but it made sense when they learned he specialized on children and really loved his job and making kids feel at ease. Then they got it, who he was; he’d loyally cared for royalty all during his lifetime in the magic world, but here he wasn’t given enough credit because in his previous life he’d looked after an animal: the Lion King.

 

This wasn’t a man turned into a flying monkey but a _monkey_ turned into a _man_. But if someone knew some animals could show more conscience and empathy than mankind, it was Snow, and she was deeply relieved to meet him and trust him with her family from now on. She’d had enough Whale to last her a lifetime and another.

 

They moved over to where Emma and Regina were resting. Henry had decided not to part from the window where they could see his sisters, alongside other newborns. Thankfully, Maribel and Marina Swan-Mills were the only twins, so there was no chance they could swap the babies without them noticing. _Better be safe than sorry_. He made it his mission to guard and protect these babies.

 

Dr. Rafi Ki checked the mothers and told them they were very well, only sleeping. But as magic had just been used it them, it wasn’t advisable to use more to wake them up or use drugs for that effect, as it would later filter into their milk and affect the children. Henry could have used True Love’s kiss, but it had been wise to wait for a professional’s opinion, as their new doctor was also versed in magic that came from nature, and as the doctor said: it had no side effects. They were safe from any harm now.

 

*

 

After Dr. Whale had his hot seat session, August also arrested one of the nurses who was working for him on the promise of endless fortune, Igor, so now the hospital was a safe place for the magical patients once more. 

 

They slowly opened their eyes and looked around them. Everything was blurry and it felt as if the memory of giving birth had happened in a dream, so they weren’t sure it had happened for real. Not until Regina saw Snow approach her, wearing a blue hospital gown over her clothing, and also distinguished David wearing the same thing as he came to Emma’s side.

 

“How are you feeling?” The second time grandmother asked with happy tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at Regina and then at Emma.

 

“Like I was hit by lighting,” Emma blurted.

 

Regina made a scrunchy face, not at all pleased with her wife’s answer. But it really hurt all over, like she’d madly exercised and her muscles were sore— even some she didn’t know she had. And _God_ her breasts were hurting, and her face felt puffy- she was so swollen. This was definitely worse than exercise, but also so surreal.

 

“Is this real? Did we really have two daughters?” Regina asked with raspy voice, eyes stinging with emotion.

 

Snow nodded as she let her tears fall. “Yes, you did great.”

 

“Where are they?” Emma said after.

 

“Please let Dr. Whale know we would like to meet our daughters,” Regina asked.

 

David and Snow exchanged a look. Emma noticed. She squinted at them and asked “What’s happening? Mom, Dad?” and started to panic, and even attempted to get up from bed, fearing the worst.

 

“Where’s our children? Henry?!” Regina called out loudly for their eldest.

 

“They’re fine,” Snow quickly assured them, moving to hold down Emma. “Charming—”

 

“I’ll let them know you’ve awoken so they bring them here,” he set for the door.

 

After five minutes that felt eternal, the door opened again and they saw a little cart be pushed inside, carrying one of the twins inside, with Henry behind it; then another cart with David pushing it.

 

“Emma!” Regina turned to her wife and Emma turned to her as well, both women crying as they saw the babies come closer and closer to their sides.

 

“We did it,” Emma smiled as David carefully set Marina in her arms.

 

“Yes, we did.”

 

Regina also smiled as Henry delicately lowered Maribel into his mother’s arms. He was so gentle with her, it showed he had gained experience carrying his baby uncle. And was it their imagination or did Henry look overly protective and much more mature as he looked down upon his little sisters? It was heartwarming. Just as it was to notice the thin hairs in their babies were the same dark color as Henry and Regina’s.

 

“Hello, baby girl.”

 

Regina softly spoke to Maribel as the newborn lazily opened her eyes to reveal their color: _green,_ like Emma. Marina opened her eyes, too, mirroring the same hue. The only visual difference between them was Marina was slightly smaller than Maribel, because of the first trimester where Emma had anemia. But other than that, the doctor announced they were thriving and could be released the next day to go home.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It felt like a year instead of thirty-six hours, but they were finally home. And now they regretted living in a mansion, for the staircase would be a daily challenge. Thankfully, there was a guest room downstairs, which Snow insisted they make their temporary room and nursery for the first week or two— she knew what she was talking about.

 

Ruby was there, helping bring down some of the diapers and clothes they had up in the bedroom that would be the twins’, after Snow called her to ask for some extra help. Belle was carrying Neal on her hip as they arranged the room to make it work properly for them on the meantime.

 

Snow kissed Emma and Regina on the forehead, apologizing because as much as she wanted to be there and help them, she had a small child who still needed her and was starting to believe Belle his real mother instead- she said it playfully.

 

Belle bit her lip sheepishly. She loved babies and couldn’t help but spoil Neal whenever possible. Ruby had smiled but averted her eyes, because she didn’t have the kind of magic Emma and Regina both had that made it possible to create life with each other. She wasn’t blind; she noticed Belle longed for a family, but she wasn’t sure she could give her one. Not unless they adopted, but they would have to be married for that, and suddenly she was stressed.

 

 _Was she truly ready to settle down and be an actual adult?_  
What if she ruined it, first year into their marriage?  
What if Belle woke up one morning deciding she wanted a man instead?  
What if Rumplestiltskin somehow came back and took her away?

 

Her damned brain was spitting at her so many reasons why Belle would leave her before she even got down on her knee, why expose herself? It was easier and safer to pretend she preferred being the cool auntie, getting only the part-time job and not the whole package you couldn’t just ship back. She thought too low of herself and didn't believe herself fit enough.

 

After everybody left, Regina and Emma could relax some more, and changed into their camisole pajamas to be more comfortable. They at last had some privacy for their not-so-little family unit of four, and it was like a dream come true for them in different ways.

 

Emma had Regina’s memories of raising Henry, and had gone through the photo albums so many times, the lines blurred between what she’d actually lived and what had been Regina's gift. But now she got to keep these babies and give them her best, see them grow before her eyes, and that was something that made her heart hurt but at the same time soar, because Henry could not have had a better mother than Regina to look after him. Not even at this point in life did Emma feel she could come close to being half the mother Regina was to their son. She was so thankful. Now she got to live it in the flesh to raise an infant with this wonderful woman together.

 

For Regina it was the surprise of her True Love with Emma, but also how they magically created these two very tiny and yet so perfect human beings that now sleep peacefully in their arms after being fed from their breast, which was also new to _both_ mothers. All these novel sensations were impressive: _life_ was a miracle on its own and they got to share it. It was like a fresh start over.

 

Henry had turned out such a good boy, but it had been hard a process. But any effort was worthy for the reward of seeing him truly happy and genuinely invested in helping out, not because he felt forced. They were so proud of their son, they smiled when after putting the twins down in their cribs to sleep, they found him asleep at the table, with two warm teacups on the side.

 

Emma kissed his hair and gently spoke his name into his ear to wake him up so he would go upstairs and have some rest in his bed. Regina added honey to the tea and leaned against the table as she sipped. Emma did the same, right beside her, and when they put the cups down she rounded Regina and stood before her; slowly cradled her face in her hands and kissed her gently, sweetly.

 

“You’ve made me the happiest woman on earth. Thank you,” she told her.

 

Regina blinked out some tears, smiling. “I’d say _you_ are the one who’s made _me_ the happiest I’ve ever been, or ever even dreamed to.”

 

“I’m awesome like that.” Emma grinned.

 

“Yes you are, silly.” Regina pulled her into another kiss.

 

Things were escalating into a more passionate kiss when the soft wail of their babies reminded them it wasn’t yet time for sexy times, and wouldn’t be for a while; small price to pay in comparison to the great joy.

 

 

* * *

 

 

_The day before_

 

“We have to be back before nine, when Emma will crack the big question,” Ruby said, keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

 

“That’s certainly romantic, although... a little _warped_?”

 

“How so?” Ruby asked Belle curiously.

 

“She’s proposing, but she already has the wedding set up, all their friends already there, and even the dress we’re just about to pick up, not letting Regina choose for herself. Is it me or does she really have no room to say no and not be made feel uncomfortable for it, should things not go as planned? She has absolutely no say in all this.” Belle twitched her lips. “I even feel guilty because I’m complicit.”

 

“Wait. What? You think she might say no?”

 

Belle thought for a moment that wasn’t very long. “Not really. But I don’t think that’s the point.”

 

For Belle it had been a story of fighting to make her voice heard, though whatever choices she had been presented with, had always been warped, cornering her into taking a path that had been laid out for her regardless of her choice, not truly free. It was different for Regina and Emma but she couldn’t detach her personal experience of living under the illusion of false happiness for a long time. She’d also shared True Love with Rumple, but they were not right for each other in the end. Not even True Love was a warranty for a Happy Ending.

 

“They share True Love, if that’s not something special I don’t know what is. And also pregnant, so…” Ruby was pensive for a moment short-lived.  _Shit._ She totally forgot Belle and Rumple had once shared True Love, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. “I just can’t imagine Regina not wanting to tie the knot with Emma, babes.”

 

Belle squinted at her girlfriend. “Do you have _feelings_ for her? And don’t call me babes.”

 

Ruby hit the breaks suddenly. It would have been dangerous if the road had had any traffic, but it was as lonely as a desert. They were still inside the town limits.

 

“The hell?! Where did _that_ even come from? I don’t— Belle. Are you… jealous?” Ruby looked at her with an amused smirk.

 

Belle made a pouty face. “No correlation. I’m simply making a very legit question, given how close and how subservient you are with the sheriff.”

 

“Subservient? I'm not—Look, that’s what friends do for each other. We help each other out; it’s called being BFFs.”

 

Belle let out a huff. “I guess I haven’t had enough _real_ friends- _or any_ , to know the feeling. Usually people use me when convenient and then forget I exist. Like now,” she muttered, “But that’s not your fault. I’m sorry,” she apologized.

 

“You don’t have to be,” Ruby took her hands in hers. “They're not using you. They trust your beautiful brain and want you to feel included. And I’m the one who’s sorry if I’ve ever made you feel anything less than what you are in my life: my happy ending.”

 

The words were out before Ruby had time to go over them and Belle looked at her with such big eyes she wasn’t sure if she’d just shared too much and made her reconsider and want to jump out that car while she still can.

 

“Too soon?” Ruby chewed on her lip nervously.

 

“I don’t know…” Belle blinked her eyes and turned to the window.

 

“You still wanna do this?” Ruby asked sadly. "We can turn around." And Ruby meant it in more ways than just the trip to help their friends.

 

 _Like I have a choice,_ Belle wanted to say, but felt it would be too cruel. She knew there would two messages.

 

“Yes, sure. We have a wedding to make happen,” Belle smiled kindly, though she avoided meeting her eyes for the rest of the drive.

 

*

 

They only made a stop in the gas station to get some fuel, both for the car as for their empty bellies, and also to pee. And made it to the bridal shop at the scheduled time, being the first in the list to be attended. They’d made their appoint a month ago, when Emma started talking with them about her desire to make it official with Regina before the babies came.

 

Belle was wearing a fake pregnancy belly while she tried on the dresses she’d chosen online with the store’s manager at the phone. They brought out three sizes and four different versions for the _faux_ bride to try and choose from.

 

It was bizarre the real brides would not choose their own wedding dresses, unheard of, but the money was tangible and they treated Belle and Ruby like the real thing, and even offered Ruby a glass of wine while she watched her girlfriend try on the gowns, but they offered Belle water instead because for a moment they forgot she wasn’t actually pregnant, and apologized and brought her a wine, too, after she complained.

 

Belle was a tad shorter than Emma and Regina, but Ruby was way too tall and thinner; it had to be her who tried them all on, and she also had great photographic memory and a keen mind to visualize the dresses in the corresponding bodies. She stood on a small box to give her the needed height and after almost three hours of going through the dresses she decided which were the closest fit, and also the style that would flatter the Queen and her Savior.

 

Both dresses were in pearly white, smooth and loose from under the bust and down to the skirt, but Emma’s was strapless and had feathered accents on the bust and a belt of crystals under the breast, while Regina’s had had Swarovski crystals from her neck to above her chest like a necklace, and another crystal belt under the bust. Both gowns were sleeveless and pretty comfortable, as they weren’t intended to hide any excess weight, quite the contrary: they embellished their baby bumps with the light and flowy fabric.

 

 

Ruby looked at her in awe, finding her otherworldly beautiful, and imagining her with a belly of her own, made her warm inside, but then she remembered she should not fantasize about that. It was uncertain what the future holds for them.

 

She drank the remaining liquid from a gulp and pasted on a smile.

 

*

 

“The grand total would be $9,699.98. Your form of payment, Ms. French?”

 

“Holy shit, does that include the honeymoon or what?” Ruby was flabbergasted.

 

“That’s actually a very good price, Ms. Lucas. You have Swarovski’s. And those are _two_ dresses. It was a bargain if I say so myself,” the cashier justified, feeling mildly offended. 

 

“We’re paying cash, thank you,” Belle responded.

 

The cashier was the one dumbfounded now. “Can you please give me a minute?”

 

“Sure,” Belle nodded.

 

The girl came back with the manager and she took them to a private office to close the transaction.

 

*

 

“You didn’t tell me Emma gave you _ten_   _grand_ to spend in New York,” Ruby looked at her in disbelief. “How the heck does she have that kind of money?”

 

“It’s not that much,” Belle simply said.

 

“Are you serious?” Ruby looked at her like she was mad. “You royals really have no damn clue of the struggles of the poor.”

 

Belle tightened her jaw, and shot her a glare. This trip had been a bad experience after the other with Ruby, but she may be right on this.

 

“Money shouldn’t make your relationship to her any different. Or to me either.”

 

“Huh? No, I didn’t mean— _shit_. I’m fucking up everything today. Forget it.”

 

They drove in silence back to Storybrooke, only stopping by to eat a subway, and continued to pretend the other didn’t exist, though it wasn’t really working.

 

They were back in town by six in the afternoon, having just enough time to take a shower and make themselves presentable for the wedding in time.

 

In Belle’s mansion, Ruby felt even smaller than before. She hated coming here, to the place that had been her girlfriend’s home with the Dark One, but she never told her before. Her ex-husband might be gone but the gloominess of the antiquated decoration was so Rumplestiltskin— even more so than the lingering scent of him in every wall and corner— it made Ruby feel he would come out the mirror any moment, and couldn’t stand one more minute there.

 

Belle suddenly heard the door shut closed and saw Ruby through the window as she drove off. She sighed deeply.

 

Belle dried her hair, her _tears,_ and began to apply concealer on. It may not be her day but she wouldn’t be ruining someone else’s, so she did her makeup the best she knew, curled up her hair into a romantic bun, and finally slipped inside a red velvet dress that hugged her curves, displaying peachy skin of her back in a sensual opening the dress had, framed by small crystals like a work of art. She slipped on her gold high heels and applied the red lipstick to finish the killer look.

 

Ruby had to drink some beer to stabilize and stop crying. Alcohol made her funny and she needed to be smiling for her best friend’s big day.

 

She did her makeup more naturally for a change, accepting her grandmother’s advice to not be so theatrical because she didn’t have to prove anything to anyone other than herself: old Ruby wasn’t her true character, it was time to find the real woman in the mirror and let her surface.

 

Ruby chose a long sleeve dress in blue lace, tight around her curves, and the skirt ended just above the knee. Lastly, she did her hair straight, and when she saw herself in the mirror saw how her blue irises popped up with the smokey silver shadow and the dress, and liked it more than the heavy winged eyeliner she would often use, and tried for a nude lipstick on - the same color of her pumps – and smiled to the reflection.

 

“Okay, let’s do this. For Em.”

 

Ruby called Belle to pick her up but she told her she would be meeting her in the restaurant, as her cab was almost there. Ruby deflated a little but accepted; it had been her who ran away without a word.

  

Ruby arrived first, and Snow beckoned her to hide in a booth from opposite where Emma and Regina would be having dinner. They’d put another of those lattice walls with plants to hide them away from their sight and asked Ruby to open the boxes and show her the dresses.

 

“Oh my gosh! They’re perfect,” Snow started tearing, but Ruby reminded her to save those tears for the big revelation and Snow nodded, smiling.

 

“What would I do without you?” Snow pulled her into her arms and hugged her.

 

“Well, the credit belongs fully to Belle actually.”

 

“Right! Where is she? I want to thank her,” Snow looked around.

 

Ruby saddened.

 

“You didn’t come together?” Snow understood by the look in her friend’s face that there might be trouble in paradise. “I’m so sorry. You guys looked so happy yesterday, I never would have imagined.”

 

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve also no idea what the f— _hell_ happened.”

 

They heard Lumiere greet someone effusively and turned to look if it wasn’t Emma and Regina early, but it was someone else: Belle.

 

Lumiere had acceded to this complicated event because of his relationship to Belle in the fairytale land, where he and his wife, and their chef, had been part of the service crew in her castle. So when Ruby meant Belle was the one who deserved all the credit, she meant it. As much as Emma had planned this, it had been Belle who actually made it happen in more ways than one.

 

“Speaking of the devil…” Snow mumbled, and pushed Ruby forward so she got moving. “Go.”

 

Ruby was super nervous, hands shaking and out of breath. Belle was so beautiful, like a goddess- Aphrodite in the flesh, and forgot she was upset.

 

After Belle and Lumiere finished kissing their cheeks in the air, the beauty in red turned to the side and saw Ruby. Her heart began drumming wildly inside her chest, and felt her stomach flutter as their gazes locked. Ruby was stunning. Belle took the last steps toward her and they nervously greeted, but instead of kissing their lips they awkwardly stopped mid-way and kissed each cheek in the air, like they were greeting any other acquaintance and not their partner.

 

“So… you look gorgeous,” Ruby started.

 

“Thank you. You look stunning, too,” Belle smiled.

 

They were looking into each other’s eyes when Leroy interrupted.

 

“It’s time! They’re here!”

 

Everyone went to their assigned spots and started acting.

 

After some minutes, Emma and Regina emerged through the entrance. The valet parking had taken some extra time on purpose before taking their car, under the explanation the restaurant was full at the brim because there would be live music playing.

Regina had no idea what awaited her.

 

*

 

As godmothers, Belle chose their wedding present to be the beautiful rings free of charge. Emma had come to the shop to choose, expecting to pay for them, but was surprised she insisted she let them be her and Ruby’s gift. Emma had joked if it wasn’t her old rings and Belle felt deeply hurt, but she knew Emma was somewhat dumb with her mouth, like Ruby often was, and accepted her apology. She told Emma they had been part of a payment of a deal and had never been used. A landlord had paid a fortune to the Dark One to get rid of a dragon that had made one of his diamond mines his nest, the same dragon he sent to the land of King Midas; the one Charming would come to slay.

 

The big diamond rings looked like a million bucks, but Belle was unaffected. It was but a small scratch to the fortune she inherited from Rumple.

 

Regina had exchanged a look with Belle when Emma pushed the luxurious ring into her finger as they made their vows, and in her eyes she reflected the feeling of not deserving this from Belle, not after what she did to her, but Belle nodded as if telling her to forget that. It was a long time ago and they had moved on. It was better to learn forgiveness than live a life of resentment.

 

After Emma and Regina opened the dance, Belle and Ruby looked at each other nervously.

 

“May I have this dance?” Ruby asked her shyly, as though it was the first time they met.

 

“You may,” Belle took her hand and they moved to the space they cleared in the center to make it the dance floor.

 

Gently, Ruby placed her hand in the small of Belle’s back, carefully bringing her closer to her body as they began to sway slowly with the classical music. Belle put her right hand on her shoulder and bit her lip, nervous as their bodies came flush against one another. Ruby inhaled deeply, taking in Belle’s perfume of roses, and when the music changed to another romantic waltz, she slipped her other hand down to rest on the small curve on her back together with the other.

 

“You smell so nice,” she said in her ear.

 

Belle felt a shiver travel down her spine. “I like your perfume as well. Is it new?”

 

“M-hm,” the brunette nodded, eyes closed as she breathed Belle in to etch this memory into her head.

 

“Today was a… _rollercoaster,_ ” Belle told her, nervously, passing down some saliva.

 

“ _You_ are a rollercoaster,” Ruby responded, locking her blue gaze in brown.

 

“Hmn. Then I’d like to apologize for not being the best of _rides_ today,” Belle smartly said.

 

Ruby had all sort of dirty thoughts involving riding, and the dress Belle had chosen was so sensual in an elegant way, she felt she would combust any moment if her girlfriend did as much as breathe deeply. Belle had chosen her favorite color- it meant alot.

 

“I can’t think straight after you saying that,” Ruby confessed with a smile, blushing lightly.

 

“I don’t need you straight,” Belle glanced down at nude lips, and licked her own red stained ones, “at all.”

 

Ruby grinned. She leaned down and Belle got on her tiptoes, as not even with her high platform heels could she come close to her girlfriend’s height. And when their lips touched, they gave into a deep kiss that lasted as long as the song, until the change of beat brought them back to the wedding party happening around them.

 

Snow had seen them from the corner of her eye as she danced with Charming, and smiled warmly, happy that they’d made up. Today should be a day to celebrate love and she was content she’d also seen Leroy take Nova out on the dance floor and share a kiss.

 

There was something in the ambient of Enchanté that made hearts bloom with renewed love. Even Henry was dancing with a classmate, Violet, shyly, after gathering his courage. And was it her imagination or was Blue actually dancing with Tinker Bell? Now that was new. As was new to see Archie holding Geppetto’s hands sweetly, and August chatting up Regina’s secretary.

 

Love was floating in the air, literally. But they were so immersed in dancing with the people they loved, they didn’t take notice of the very thin layer of pale lavender mist suspended all around them. It was harmless, anyway.

When they got to Belle’s house, Ruby’s mind was nowhere near Rumple this time. Instead, all she could think of was to make sweet love to her.

 

They turned on the fire in the hearth in the library and resumed their kissing, slowly removing each other’s clothes and leaving them on the floor as they made it to the divan near the window where Belle enjoyed reading. She closed the curtains and lie on the golden divan, her back on the pillows.

 

Ruby came atop, drinking in her nude image before kissing her lips again, moving to her neck and then her breasts, all while squeezing her thighs needy.

 

“You’re so beautiful, you take my breath away,” she said openly.

 

“So marry me and let me share my every breath with you,” Belle took her by surprise. Even she was a little surprised but not really; she’d wanted to ask her for a couple of months now but never found the courage or the moment.

 

Ruby’s face lit up. She didn’t respond with words but she did with a big kiss. She peppered kisses all over her face and her neck until Belle asked again.

 

“Is that a yes?” She smiled.

 

“Yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Magic is emotion, and with Emma and Regina vibrating with True Love and happiness, the babies manifest that magic.


	8. Double Trouble

Emma and Regina were half into the second month after their birth when they couldn’t contain the yearning to feel each other anymore. It’d been torturous having to wait so long for the bleeding to stop so they could enjoy sleeping intimately together again, so as soon as the sky was clear— so to speak, Emma made her intentions known.

 

They were using the _roughly_ two hours they had before the twins woke up again to claim their midnight meal, but Regina broke the heated kiss.

 

“Emma, what if we get pregnant again? We can’t just have unprotected sex.”

 

“Ugh,” Emma groaned as she was interrupted. She had been so invested in rubbing her thigh against Regina’s sex, only to have her push her away. “Pretty sure we got pregnant when both our _hoo-has_ rubbed together so… not gonna do that. We already had this convo. Can’t we just… fondle each other?”

 

“Nine months from now it could be five, love. Five children. How are we going to raise that many and still protect the denizens of this town, who act like children themselves most of the time?”

 

“Nah. Henry already looks after himself for the most part,” Emma responded as she resumed kissing Regina’s neck. “It’d be just four. The town can suck it.”

 

“Emma! I’m not joking. Four babies. Twice the diapers we already change.”

 

“Arrrggg…” Emma growled.

 

She got off from Regina’s body and rolled to the side to pull out a drawer from the nightstand, and a peculiar glove from inside it. She wore the special glove in her right hand; made from the same ingredients in the anti-magic cuff from Pan, though enhanced for texture and flexibility— a glove they’d had Dr. Whale confect for them before they found out just how low the moral compass of this man was, but at least he made half-decent sex toys when given monetary incentive.

 

Emma didn’t like it very much because she wouldn’t feel Regina and her muscle responses fully, but she had to sacrifice the sensation for her wife’s security. That and because one of the fingertips housed a small bullet vibrator that made the experience sharper, so it wasn’t all-bad; it should be good for the receiver.

 

“Thank you,” Regina said to her as she saw her put it on and lube it up.

 

They would test the prototype for the first time, which the ex-doctor named: The _Magic Touch®_ , ironically.

 

“Can I—”

 

“You better. Make me _cum_ , Sheriff,” Regina answered in her super sexy voice that had Emma forget everything and just think of one thing: _make Regina fucking cum._

“Mmmh…” Emma moaned as she licked on a nipple, the hint of sweetness in her mouth, then moved to lick down Regina’s soft belly and lower, coming to lick and flick her clit while the vibrator in her middle finger, circled around the slick opening wet with arousal.

 

Regina groaned this time when Emma pushed the pulsing bulbous tip inside her and continued blowing on her swollen clit, making it feel deliciously hot. The finger began to thrust inside as Emma never parted her mouth from her pussy, stimulating her. Quickly it built up and the brunette’s legs were tightening around the blonde as her muscles tensed in a climax and Regina had to turn off the vibrator with the remote because she could handle no more teasing.

 

The expressions in Regina’s face were beautiful— it was beautiful to see her orgasm, and Emma felt very proud. She was smiling to herself when Regina rolled them over and topped her; kissing her mouth erotically, sticking out her tongue to barely graze her lips before kissing them again and then fucking her mouth with her it; like she would be doing her vagina next with that tongue.

 

Regina moved down between the blonde’s legs, careful not to touch her with her fingers because Emma was the one wearing the special glove. She licked circles around her clit and then slid down her wet slit and plunged her tongue inside her, making Emma groan in pleasure. Determined to make her come with just her mouth, Regina moved back to working on the small, pink pearl of her flesh, flicking and lapping until Emma’s hands where firm on her head and her hips were swaying along to fuck her face.

 

Emma had to bite on a pillow to come quietly, and thankfully the twins continued sleeping for a little while more until it was feed time. Of course the next morning they were even more tired than the usual, but happier, too.

 

* * *

 Four months later.

* * *

 

 "I really, _really_ miss using our strapon,” Emma insisted.

 

“Me too, Emma, but it gets our sex much closer.”

 

“We can take the pill the day after…”

 

“That’s an idea, but magic?”

 

“I may have something…” Emma averted her eyes.

 

“Okay… What is it?” Regina eyed her curiously.

 

“I may have asked Viktor to make condoms with some of that anti-magic thing, and he did.”

 

“Emma…”

 

“He’s behaving. Actually he’s doing great since we revoked his medical license and he opened his sex shop. Makes a shit ton’a money and has become the local sugar daddy. Storybrooke’s got their own Hefner, imagine that.”

 

“ _Gross._ But at least he’s useful and true to his nature, I guess.”

 

“Yeah, Henry did him a favor by forcing him to come clean with his dirty work. Funny that.”

 

“Funny indeed.”

 

“So… you in?”

 

“I rather have _you_ IN me,” Regina smiled sensually.

 

 

* * *

 Eleven months.

* * *

 

 

 

“Emma!” Regina screamed.

 

“Ma, you have to see this!” Henry was next.

 

“What?” She came rushing from the kitchen to the family room, holding a big spoon in her right hand.

 

“Look!” both brunettes said.

 

Henry was holding Maribel by the hands, but then released her and she kept her footing for a few seconds and even tried to take a step forward toward her brunette mother, who was sitting on the floor, but fell on her butt.

 

“She’s been trying to walk and for a moment she almost made it.”

 

Marina was sitting on Regina’s lap, playing with her long and shiny necklace while Emma had been boiling carrots to make baby food.

 

“Shit. The stove. Be right back!” Emma ran back to the kitchen and turned off the gas. She might suck at cooking adult food but she drew the line at fucking up baby food. She came back and tried with Henry for Maribel to make her first steps while the carrots cooled down.

 

“Mam, ma, mama,” the baby mumbled as Henry gently guided her holding her little hands. He released her in hope she would put one foot in front the other and make it to Emma’s arms, took his cellphone out and started recording as the baby stood on her feet.

 

Marina on her part was far more interested in sucking on the pendant from Regina’s necklace.

 

“No, sweetheart, this isn’t edible.” Regina tried to make her stand up so she might attempt to walk.

 

“Na, na, na!” Marina responded and dropped on her butt, then crawled to the coffee table and used her tiny hands to stand up and reach the remote control laying on the glass top to bring it to her mouth.

 

“And neither is this,” Regina removed it from her grasp.

 

Marina yelled angrily and removed her hands from the glass top and made one, two, and _three_ steps before sinking on her four and crawling the distance to claim back the remote in her mother’s hand on her lap.

 

“Oh my God! Did you see that?” Emma was baffled.

 

“I caught it on video!” Henry answered, recording their faces of shock and pride and surprise.

 

“Yay! Go Marina!”

 

They clapped at her and she was puzzled for a moment, but beamed and began clapping her hands as well, imitating them.

 

“Let’s try again,” Emma said to them.

 

Regina picked Marina up as Emma took Maribel. They set the remote control over the coffee table and walked five steps from it and then put the little girls back on their feet so they would try reaching to their destination, meanwhile Henry recorded everything.

 

They let go of the little hands and Marina and Maribel stood on their chubby legs for a couple of seconds, then tried to give a step front and a second, but Maribel fell before making it to the third and Marina, the slightly smaller twin, actually reached to the coffee table with wobbly steps and took the remote control and brought it to her mouth.

 

They clapped again with excitement and Marina clapped her hands too, but Maribel made a pouty face and broke into tears. Emma picked her in her arms and kissed her face, hushed her as she told her it was okay and she would soon be walking and even running behind her big brother.

 

Henry picked up Marina so Regina could go to the kitchen to blend the carrots into a puree. Soon enough she called them to gather at the table to have dinner.

 

Regina pulled out of the oven the lasagna she’d left on “warm” setting, and brought the salad to the table, along two glasses of wine and a glass of iced tea for their boy. They set the twins on their high chairs and maneuvered between giving them a spoon of carrot and then taking themselves a forkful of lasagna— they had gotten very good at these gymnastics by now.

 

After finishing dinner, Henry helped washing the dishes. They watched a movie together in the family room and then went upstairs to rest. They kissed their eldest goodnight and moved over to tuck their youngest in their cribs. Maribel was a little fuzzy and Emma had to sway with her in the rocking chair until she fell asleep. Regina watched them from the door with a warm heart, smiling at Emma as she came out after putting the baby down.

 

They made it to their room, changed to pajamas, and kissed before drifting into sleep. Weekend was over and tomorrow they had work to do.

 

The following morning, when they went early to the nursery room to feed the twins, they nearly had a heart attack when they didn’t see Marina in her crib, but found her in the closet playing with some toys from a box.

 

They asked Henry if he had anything to do with it and he was as surprised as them. He was just waking up to take a shower and get ready for school.

 

It became a daily occurrence half into that week and Emma decided to leave the camera recording at night to find out what was going on; the mattress in the crib was set at its lowest level so the children wouldn’t be able to climb out, it didn’t make sense. Not unless…

 

“ _Magic._ Holy shit _,_ look!” Emma pointed with her finger.

 

In the screen they saw Marina sit up, look around the room and then clap her hands and poof light lavender magic, and in a blink of an eye she was now sitting on the floor and going to the box in the far corner where there was a box of toys; the one that had been removed from the closet and left there in purpose.

 

Maribel was looking at her sister curiously, apparently calling for her, as Marina crawled up to her sister’s crib. They appeared to be babbling with each other through the bars and suddenly Maribel sneezed and puffed light lavender magic too and was now also on the floor playing with her sister and all the toys she had scattered around them. They played for about half an hour, when they began to feel sleepy again and Maribel crawled to her crib, sneezed again, and was back inside. Marina chortled at her sister’s sneezing but decided to stay on the floor, playing until she fell asleep and her mothers found her curled up there with an elephant plushy.

 

“What are we going to do? I’ve never heard of babies wielding magic from such tender age,” Regina was very distressed.

 

“Don’t ask me, I didn’t use magic until I was nearly thirty. You’re the expert here.”

 

“I can only think about the cuffs, but I have no idea if they would affect them differently because they’re so young. I would not want to risk it.”

 

“Me neither… I guess we’ll have to make night shifts to watch them.”

 

Regina sighed. They were finally starting to get longer nights, only to have to wake up again every two hours.

 

* * *

  

“Woah! You kinda look like crap Emma, what happened?” Ruby not so politely asked her friend as Emma got to the bar to ask for two coffees for the go while Regina waited in the car.

 

“Magical twins, that’s what happened.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“We just found out yesterday they can use magic and now we have to go back to checking on them every two hours.”

 

“Ouch.”

 

“Yeah- I mean, I love my kids… just, I wish I could sleep more.”

 

“Sorry… Here’s your coffee.”

 

“Thanks. And please don’t tell anyone, we still haven’t told my parents.”

 

“Sure thing. See ya!”

 

* * *

 

 

As Emma and Regina continued to check upon them, the little girls soon learned the pattern. They would wake up in between their mothers’ shifts and come out to play, and go back to their cribs before they came back.

 

Their mothers thought it had been just an oddity because their babies seemed to be behaving now. They believed that for a month until they found both Marina and Maribel in the same crib sleeping, and when Regina called for Emma the girls opened their eyes and started giggling. They had been _pretending_ to be asleep.

 

“Oh no, no laughing you naughty girls,” Regina chastised them, though she was smiling because it was impossible to be angry at such cuteness.

 

“I think it’s best we take them to our bed,” Emma suggested.

 

Regina looked at her for a long moment before nodding and saying “yes.”

 

Magical incidents stopped happening at night. With their mothers with them, the two girls would sleep much longer and only wake up from time to time to make sure they were still sleeping with their moms. Instead, their magical phenomena transported to daytime, so Regina decided to take the girls with her to the office instead of sending them to daycare.

 

* * *

 

 

It was their first birthday. Time felt like it was flying.

 

They had a Pocoyo cake and when their mothers blew out the candles for them, Marina and Maribel squeaked excitedly as the flames went out, and wanted to see that again. They clapped their little hands and suddenly the candles were lit back.

 

“Oh my gosh!” Snow gasped.

 

She hadn’t witnessed any of their little tricks because they seemed to only make magic around their mothers to get their attention or to protest.

 

Marina and Maribel started pointing at the candles and saying “moma” so Regina and Emma would blow again. They did and the flames went out, and the babies did their magic again. Emma and Regina did once more, but after that they removed the candles and told their babies it was time to eat the cake, gave them their formula bottles and the twins focused on that instead, and soon fell asleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

At two years old, the twins were able to switch their sippy cups from water to juice; their scrambled eggs for cookies, and bathing them had become a real challenge, as after the mandatory chase they would poof away from their mothers’ grasp and the only way to get them to stop doing that, was by filling the tub with bubbles and toys; now the problem was to get them _out,_ but at least their naughty little ducklings were clean.

 

Never did they imagine their True Love kids to be this wayward and exhausting— far more than any villain they ever had to deal with. But it was still beautiful and they wouldn’t trade it for anything. Looking back now, Henry had been incredibly easy in comparison, and he had also been one naughty boy.

 

Emma and Regina smiled as they watched the girls sleep in their own beds.

 

* * *

 

 

“Promise you won’t use magic,” Regina said to the twins.

 

She was kneeling before them at the foot of the stairs before the entrance to pre-school. It was their first day. Marina and Maribel looked at each other and then back at their mother.

  
“Promise,” they said in unison.

 

Emma squinted at them. “Promise for real, duckies. I can tell when you’re lying,” she made a funny scowl, bringing her hands to her hips and raising an eyebrow.

 

The twins bit their lips and looked downcast, as if caught with hands in the cookie jar.

 

“Mama has a superpower and you know it, sweethearts. Promise you’ll behave,” Regina asked them gently.

 

Marina and Maribel offered their pinkies. “Pinky promise?”

 

Regina and Emma hooked their pinkies with their daughters and echoed them; “pinky promise.”

 

Emma knelt too and the girls hugged each mother and then ran to their grandmother’s side to take her hands and be guided to their new classrooms.

 

Emma and Regina felt a knot in their throat as the little three-year olds turned back to wave their hands as they disappeared behind the door.

 

“Bye, mommies!” They shouted happily, excited at seeing so many children their size.

 

Once their children were out of sight, they turned to each other and cried in one another’s arms. Their babies were growing up too fast.

 

They kissed and held hands as they walked to the car.

 

* * *

 

“What’s wrong?” Ruby asked Emma after seeing her brooding by the window.

 

She’d come to the station to deliver her lunch instead of Marlene because she broke her ankle and was on paid leave. But also to see her friend, because with her new role as _CEO_ of the inn and breakfast— after Granny decided it was time to retire and tend to her small farmhouse and her animals instead of the growingly more demanding clients —she nearly got no time to spare with her friends, and was looking forward Marlene’s come back to offer her a rise and also more responsibility to take some of the weight off her shoulders. She wondered how her grandmother managed to admin everything on her own; maybe that was why she was so grumpy all the time.

 

“It sucks, Rubes. I mean- I should be happy, and I am, of the twins and their first day in school... but it also hurts. Time is moving so fast I can barely keep up, you know?”

 

“Yeah…” Ruby offered an apologetic mind. “That’s kids for you, huh,” she looked downcast.

 

Emma noticed the gloominess that crossed her friend’s features.

 

“No luck yet? With the insemination,” she asked.

 

She shook her head. “We dropped that after coming across _Frankensugga_ at the clinic. _”_ Ruby grimaced.

“Huh?!”

She told Emma about their second attempt at in-vitro and how as they were entering the clinic, Viktor was going out and stopped and said: _“Maybe one of you lucky ladies hits the jackpot with one of my swimmers,”_ and winked at them. He was a donor apparently and it made their skin crawl. So they turned around and decided they didn’t want to do it anymore, and now they were on list to adopt, but there weren’t any babies available for adoption in Storybrooke— which was actually a good thing, but for them it meant a long wait, if it ever happened.

 

They’d been married for two years now and felt ready to care for another human being; they had the means, the love, and the desire to share.

 

“Well that _really_ sucks,” Emma sympathized with her. Some people had real struggles.

 

The phone started ringing in the station and August picked up. Emma and Ruby looked in his direction.

 

“Deputy August, what’s your emergency?” He answered. “ _Seriously_?” He asked bewildered as he side-glanced Emma. “You’re right, I apologize. I didn’t mean to suggest you were pranking the law enforcement,” he moved the phone away from his mouth and covered it, and signaled Emma to come. “Yes, ma’am.”

 

“What now?” She grumbled.

 

Emma took the phone. “Sheriff Swan on the phone, who am I speaking to?”

 

“Mrs. Gomez, hi. Everything o- I see. Be right there.” She hang up.

 

“What’s the emergency?” Ruby asked her.

 

Emma let out a deep breath. “My double trouble.”

 

* * *

 

Emma decided to poof to the kindergarten and headed to the pre-school section. Mrs. Gomez was waiting impatiently for her by the door of the classroom, from where a lot of giggling was coming, but did not step inside, and stood by the door cautiously instead.

 

“Holy c-,” Emma had to shut her mouth before cussing in front of all the little kids and the catholic teacher and the pissed off principal, “cow.”

 

Emma used her magic to freeze the whole classroom so they wouldn’t move, but more than it was to immobilize them, it was so they would not suddenly fall to the floor and break a bone or worse.

 

She looked down at the only two children on the floor and glowered.

 

“What did mommy ask you in the morning?” She asked the twins.

 

“No candy?” Marina responded innocently.

 

“No, that was yesterday,” Emma felt soften a little, but had to keep her angry mom face up.

 

“No magic?” Maribel responded, averting her eyes.

 

“That’s right. We will talk about this later with mom. This is _no_ good.”

 

Marina and Maribel made sad pouty faces.

 

“Ahem,” the teacher inside a big bubble cleared her throat. “Would you mind?”

 

“Ah, sorry!” Emma responded.

 

Yellow magic glowed in her hands as she slowly made the children and their teacher come down to the floor.

 

It had been lunch break when the twins started playing making saliva bubbles and as their little friends laughed with them, they began to make bigger ones until suddenly they floated away as they also grew, and each child was trapped inside one and floating in the air now- even the teacher could not escape.

 

The kids were super happy and excited, but their teacher feared the heights and started screaming until Mrs. Gomez came in and found what the commotion was.

 

“Mrs. Swan-Mills, I’m afraid if your children don’t learn to control themselves, we won’t be able to welcome them in our school,” the principal said.

 

“I’m very sorry. Please give them a chance, it was their first day.”

 

“Exactly. If this is what they do on their first day, what will it be a week or a month from now when they become more at ease?”

 

“They’re only _three,”_ Emma said sharply, growing angry, “they more than deserve a second chance.”

 

“Someone could have been hurt, Sheriff, you saw all those children suspended in the air, six feet high. Do you understand in which position you’re putting me, how other parents will feel letting their children be exposed?”

 

Emma felt her stomach churn. Mrs. Gomez was right, but she was also very harsh, talking about her babies like they were some kind of _monster_ and it hurt deep down- _too close_ , seeing her children suffer rejection because they were _misfits_.

 

She swallowed the knot in her throat.

 

“I understand perfectly,” Emma muttered.

 

“They got but one chance. I can’t do more,” the lady said more empathetically now. “These children’s lives are entrusted to us every day; yours included.”

 

“I said I understand,” Emma turned her back to her.

 

She called Marina and Maribel and picked them in her arms. They worriedly shouted “backpacks, mommy” and Emma looked down at their little backpacks by the chairs. Her babies were still a little upset and she decided to not make them feel worse, so she wiggled her eyebrows and made the bags come floating behind them in bubbles, just like the twins had made the entire classroom.

 

Mrs. Gomez folded her arms across her chest and let out a heavy sigh.

 

“Mama! No magic,” They said simultaneously in secret, making surprised faces.

 

“Shhh… I won’t tell mommy if you don’t tell grandma.”

 

The twins giggled behind their hands and then closed their eyes and opened them again after Emma poofed them to the station.

 

“Mama, what’s that?” Marina asked as she pointed with her arm to the cell.

 

Emma had an idea. She lowered them down on the sofa beside the cell and then asked August to come.

 

“You remember August, girls?”

 

“Hello, princesses,” he waved at them.

 

“Yesh…” The kids responded, looking at each other, then August, and blushed lightly as they turned to look down at their shoes shyly.

 

“He’s a cop. You know what a cop is?”

 

“Nope,” the twins shook their little curly heads.

 

August went to kneel down on one knee and began speaking to them about how a cop had to maintain peace, protect the weak and make sure people didn’t misbehave or they would have consequences for their bad behavior and he would have to put them inside that _very_ boring jail until they learned their lesson.

 

The girls understood what a jail was then: a place for bad people, where they had no toys to play or any candy to eat, and nodded understandingly.

 

“Is we going to jail, mama?” Maribel asked sadly.

 

“No one is going to jail,” Regina’s voice came from around the corner in the hallway. “Not on my watch.”

 

“Love,” Emma was slightly startled. She wasn’t expecting her, and she wanted to wait until they were home to tell her about the incident.

 

“Mommy!” The twins ran to Regina’s side and hugged her legs.

 

“Hey, sweeties,” she leaned down and kissed each on their foreheads. “How was your first day in school?”

 

The girls looked downcast and Regina felt her heart sink. “What happened my loves?” She asked them in a sweetened tone.

 

Their eyes began pooling with tears and Regina looked at Emma worriedly.

 

“It’s okay, honeys, why don’t you go with Deputy August to the ice cream shop? Would you like that?” Regina asked, and gave the man a pointed look and tight lips.

 

August looked at her with a _“da fuck?”_ face and then at Emma and Emma offered an apologetic smile. Apparently now his job encompassed the task of playing nanny.

 

Their little faces lit up at that. “Yes, mommy!”

 

“Okay… Let’s go then! Who wants me to turn on the siren?” August asked cheerfully.

 

“Meeeeee!” both kids screamed excitedly as they went to hold his hands to go out the station, imitating the sound of the siren with their high voices as he swung them on the way out.

  

Regina walked closer to Emma, who against her resolve to tell the story calmly, couldn’t contain herself and broke into tears. Regina embraced her tightly and had to fight her own tears to be strong for the both of them. After Emma could calm down, they went to sit down on the old blue couch.

 

“I can’t help but be reminded of my own childhood. Always the outcast, constantly rejected and sent back,” Emma cleaned her nose with a tissue.

 

Regina caressed her back gently. “I’m so sorry Emma.”

 

“What happened, happened; there’s no way changing the past. But I want a better future for our daughters,” Emma leaned her head on Regina’s shoulder.

 

Regina kissed her hair. “We can do homeschool. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t mind being their teacher until they can be well on their own.”

 

“I thought about that… But that’s not what I want. I don’t want to isolate them and make them live inside a bubble that will eventually burst and face them with a harsh realty. I want them to have friends, feel part of something.”

 

“Feel like they belong... I want the same for them. But we can’t change the fact our children are special,” Regina offered a small smile.

 

“I know.”

 

“It was really dangerous what they did. I know they were just playing, but lives were involved. I for once don’t know what to do, love. I put myself in the other parents shoes and can’t help but worry an accident is just waiting to happen.”

 

“So what do we do?” Emma looked into her eyes sadly.

 

“I can only think of one thing: if magic is the problem, we have to remove it.”

 

Emma opened her eyes wide. “You’re not suggesting we—”

 

“No,” Regina placed her hand on Emma’s shaking knee. “Do you still have that apartment in New York?”

 

“Come now?”

 

“Where you lived with Henry before coming back to Storybrooke.”

 

“I know which, just… Obviously _no_ ,” she chuckled lightly. “I sold it when we found out we were pregnant with the twins, knowing I would not part from your side ever, and also to start a savings account for Henry’s college, although some of it went to pay for our wedding.”

 

Emma wiped her tears away with a new tissue, the hint of a smile appearing in her lips.

 

“What do you think?” Regina tucked some loose curls of blonde hair behind her ear.

 

“I like the idea. They could live normal lives,” her wife smiled.

 

“But you’d have to leave your family behind- I mean your parents.”

 

“They once made that choice for me because it was the best. I have a family of my own now and want to do what’s right for us,” she took Regina’s hands in hers. “I’d go with you to the end of the world: you’re _my_ home.”

 

“You’re my home too,” Regina said.

 

They got closer and shared a kiss, caressing their hair lovingly as they did.

 

“Eew!” They suddenly heard from familiar small voices and smiled into their kiss before breaking apart.

 

“Let’s go, kids. We’re going home.”

 

They each picked one of the twins in their arms.


End file.
